I don't know how to say goodbye to my brother. No, we weren't blood, but we might as well have been. We became friends when we were 8 years old, and remained friends...close friends...ever since. 

Davy's demise left a big hole in my heart. I don't think I can ever fill that hole...not untill I see Davy again. I will someday. I promise I will. 

When we were kids, Davy came to Boise City every summer. He stayed with Mrs. Paul, across the street from me. Then later, he stayed with Crandma Jones. 

As we got older, Davy would ride his motor scooter from Gruver, to Boise City, almost every weekend. 

We were always together. We roomed together one year in college. That year, we worked together at Adams Hardfacing in Guymon. Man...what a job. It was hard hot work, with terrible hours for a student. But the pay was good. 

I could go on and on. I always wanted to live close to Davy when we were older,and married. The closest I got was when he and his family, lived on Okla City. He was about 300 miles away from me then. We saw one another often. 

All of our experiences in life, were very close. 

I could go on and on. I  could write a book about our friendship. 

All I can say, is that we were brothers in our hearts. I loved Davy, and he loved me, and there was never a doubt about it. 

We were so sad to hear that Dave had passed from this world, I know Lila was not ready to see him but welcomed him with open arms.  He was always so pleasant to be around.  We remember when Lila would bring Tiffany to see yall, she would come back with nothing but stories of the fun she had at Shari and Dave's.  Even though we live far apart, we will miss him knowing he is not with you Shari.  We pray that loving arms surround his family and with time they will remember him without sadness.  The hard part is yet to come.  We love you all.

Rick and Kim Richards

Aunt Shari, Shane, Janine, Alex, Shannon, Jenna, Savannah, Shawn, Liz, Madeline, and Jane,

Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God, our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

I am so very sorry about Uncle David, your husband, father, grandfather! Uncle David was so very special to all of us. To me, he was a very great friend that I could always talk to when I had a problem. He was there listening to me and giving me sound advice that I never even thought of...like Uncle Bob on my Ford Mustang! A few suggestions that Uncle David and Uncle Bob told me to make, and they were so good that it changed my car completely! And that is when y'all were living in Mustang, OK!

I remember when I was a Police Officer in Borger and Uncle David rode with me for a couple of hours. In those two or three hours of just riding, he saw a lot of things and he told me that it opened his eyes up because he saw things and learned what I and Uncle Truman did and to see it from a whole new perspective really was something and for that, he was so grateful and it was an experience he would never forget, either!

There were times when I would stop by on my way home from the Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN or going back to the Seminary in Fort, Wayne, IN and I would stay over in Florrissant, MO and Uncle David would just ask me all kinds of questions about what I was studying and how fascinating it was, just learning what I was doing and he was excited and he was always having a laugh and a smile...that is what I will always will remember of Uncle David! I enjoyed the time when Uncle David and Aunt Shari came to Topeka, Kansas along with Aunt Lila, my Mom and Dad, Uncle Truman and Diane and so many other family members there for my ordination and installation at Hope Lutheran Church and Uncle David informing me that service was so special that it felt like it was Heave coming down it was so beautiful!

And then Uncle David and Aunt Shari just coming back to Topeka, Kansas several years later on their own and listening to me and watching me conduct a Divine Service and Uncle David was just so impressed with me and my sermon and how everything was and Uncle David telling me that what I am doing is what I was meant to be doing!

I really did not know what I was going to write when I came here, and oh how my heart is acing so because I miss him so much and I miss everyone has been called home to be with our Heavenly Father. While doing my morning's devotion this morning, I read Psalm 84: 1 - 12 and it made me think of Uncle David because to me this was Uncle David!

Psalm 84: 1 - 12 "How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heat and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. The go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. O LORD God of host, hear m prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!"

I will truly miss Uncle David's smile and his laughter and his jokes and the way he is always doing his things, his ways and just listening to him visit with any and everyone that is around him, because he makes them feel welcomed and part of the family and that is a quality that is just genuine and I truly loved Uncle David for that and he truly inspired me to be more outgoing when sometimes I don't want to!

I want to be there with you and the family on Good Friday, April 15th, but I have a Divine Service that evening where both churches that I am serving are coming together for Good Friday service and I am so sorry that I will not be there, but I will have a pray for you and the family.

Romans 8: 31 - 39

God be with you always!

Love,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. David was always funny and gregarious and a had a remarkable ability to set people at ease and make them feel as if they mattered.  I remember the first time I ever heard Johnny Horton was when David had an 8-track tape playing when I was a lad. I still listen to Johnny Horton all these years later. He and Shari spent a lifetime together and raised two strong, good and successful sons who went on to have wonderful families of their own.  He has left a wonderful legacy behind him in the example he set in his life.  Our prayers are with you during this time.

Shari, Shane and family, and Shawn and family,

So very sorry to hear about David's passing.  It hurts my heart for each of you. He fought such a good fight, and you each fought for him!

Praying for each of you today, and in the days to come to feel God's loving arms around you, and the peace and comfort that come only from Him..

I've enjoyed visiting with David through the years. He had a million dollar smile, a good sense of humor, and usually an encouraging word or some funny comment to share .

He will be sorely missed!

Love y'all very much,