Sunday, July 12, 2015

The World is a Dance Floor...Thanks for Dancing, Dave!

Yesterday was a graveside service for Dave Chalk. It was at the AF cemetery, so I was able to attend. So glad I could be there. His sisters shared memories of Dave, including mentions of his love for food, travel, baseball, and dancing.

There was a funny story of his sister working at EFY and Dave was a participant. She got a call on the walkie talkie to come down to the dance floor. She assumed there was a fight or something. When she got there, all the kids were circled around something going on in the center. It had to be a fight. No, it was Dave dancing! He danced to and from class on campus. He caused damage to their bathroom from too vigorous dancing in the shower. He was always up on new bands and good music. When he was in my class, his chemo theme song (to get him pumped up) was Taio Cruz's "Dynamite." I heard it on the radio yesterday afternoon. It made me smile. Dance in heaven, Dave!


I also learned that he loved show tunes and musicals. That's what happens when you have all sisters.

Dave loved baseball! He was buried in a Padres Blue casket. He and his dad travelled to see over 20 ballparks. When I told him Keenan proposed at an A's game, his response was "I don't even know the guy and he's the coolest guy in the world." Dave will lay to rest within view of the AF rec baseball fields. In fact, there was a game going on during the service and another team was doing warm-up drills. The Steel Days parade was also going on. Everyone was sending Dave off in grand style.

I got to visit briefly with his mom and dad and a couple of sisters. They said they were going through his stuff and found the apron his class signed for him. He was a joy to have in class. Dave will be missed by many. One of his friends said that Dave's "ability to be courageous as he dealt with cancer was so superhuman that I expected him to live forever, so it is surprising today, and quite sad, to realize that our friend is really, permanently gone."



The weather was absolutely beautiful. It was a great morning. I'm glad I could be there. His family graciously visited with us and made us feel important. What great people.

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