We are very sad today to write this post. We learned last night that Dave passed away suddenly while he and his wife Claudia were on an Alaskan Cruise. Dave and Claudia are fellow members of AGLCA, and greatest of folks that we have met in the cruiser's association.
Dave
(and Claudia) was the best of the best. He was the type of guy you just
talk to for 30 seconds and instantly know its going to be a pleasure
knowing him. We met at the first Fall Rendezvous post COVID. After all the fight to even attend, (COVID related stuff) I was
really on the fence about sticking around the association. A short private conversation
with Dave, and 30 minutes later I walked upstairs and shelled out for a
lifetime membership. I can't count the number of rewarding moments of
helping someone, meeting new and interesting folks, and just great
experiences that most of which would likely not have occurred without
that connection. I will be eternally grateful to have known him, for
even just a small handful of years.
Dave
loved stories, especially ones filled with humor, and I am going to share one. I ran into Dave and Claudia
at The Crow's Nest in Venice, FL a couple years back. They were already
in the restaurant when we arrived. I pulled up with a customer boat from the gulf, windows
down, walked away from the helm. This particular vessel has one of those
dockmate remotes.
I
stood on the bow, my deck hand on the stern. Moved into the fuel dock,
filled up, then had 2-300 yards to go back toward the inlet and dock on
the transient dock, right behind Still Waters II. So again, no one at
the helm, we pushed out, spun around, idled up to the transient dock,
spun again and start easing in. About then my phone goes off... its a
text from Dave. "You know that's cheating!" We got tied up, and Dave
came down laughing... because the windows were down, everyone in the restaurant could see no one was at either helm. So many were standing at
the window asking who's driving the boat. Couldn't see that little
remote in my hand from that distance. So just remember being "The Show" isn't always a bad thing!
I just talked with Dave a little over a month ago. I ran into a subject of one of his stories in Red Wing, MN. You will read about that stop in the coming weeks. As is always the case, there is such a long list of things I would have said if I had any clue it would be the last time we spoke. But thats the thing about life, we never know. I connect the closest with people through humor and picking fun back and forth. I always do my best to make myself the butt of a few jokes as well! That's how I connect. I can sit down and write things with a deeper meaning, but on the fly in conversation I'm not so good at it. I truly hope Dave knew how great of a guy I felt he was while he was still here.
Fly high Frugal Fuller! I know I am sure going to miss that laugh and personality bigger than the state of Texas! I guess the "First Class Passenger" joke is on you now... If you didn't get first class accommodations on the other side, the rest of us do not stand a chance!
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