David Davila

David Davila

The time is here for me to leave this life. I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith.

David Davila passed away peacefully in Lockhart, Texas August 30, 2020, at home in the loving presence of the women in the family who made his final years comfortable and warm.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Micaela Davila, and brothers, Manuel (Maria) Davila, Jr., Raul (Dolores) Davila, and Luis Eliseo. He is survived by his wife and soulmate of 59 years, Rachel, sisters Micaela (Fernando, deceased) Cruz, and Alicia (Vincent, deceased) Garcia, brothers Samuel (Tina) Davila and Luis (Connie) Davila, children whom he loved unconditionally, Mario (Marianne) Davila, Ana (Rick) Bermea, Leticia (Scott McIntyre) Davila, Rebecca (Robert Monsevais) Davila-Monsevais, David (Lisa) Davila, and Andrea Davila, 24 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and an extensive network of beloved friends and family.

David was born in Rosenberg, Texas on February 19, 1937.  He graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School, where he starred on the football team, played trumpet in the band, and sang in the choir. He loved to tell stories about life in Rosenberg with his big family, skinny-dipping in the river, and walking to school barefooted.

He loved music all his life, loved to dance, and was in a traveling, professional band throughout his teenage years. In Lockhart, he was active at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and found a special fulfillment singing at the prayer meetings and for the Rosary Crusade. 

David served in the Army from 1956-59, enlisting with a group of friends after high school. They shipped off together after a big going-away dinner prepared by his mother. He was based in Germany and traveled all over Europe. Until the end of his life, he impressed us by counting in German and teaching the kids salty German phrases. He was one of those rare souls who actually sent his pay home to his mother.

He played third base for the Richmond Tigers baseball team for several years after the Army and played against other teams from all over southeast Texas and Mexico. He took his toddler son on road trips with the team. 

As David and Rachel started a family, he found work in an office but hated it. He loved being active and working with his hands.  He started a career in the wire rope business and discovered he was good at it. He traveled all over the world installing equipment. He took helicopters to oil rigs in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, traveled in Colombia with armed guards, brought us pictures from Hawaii and seafood from Louisiana. He worked as many as 3 jobs to provide for his family, but still found time to coach baseball.

After 30 years in the business, circumstances found him in Austin, Texas working for a bankrupt company. David and his friend, Joe Albers, started a new company: D&A Wire Rope. They succeeded through relentless perseverance, hard work, long hours, and doing everything possible to help their customers. You cannot look at Austin’s skyline without viewing the results of their work. There are too many stories from customers to tell here. But this one is typical: David was called by a customer at home at 3 am for help installing equipment onto a crane.  He got up and drove to the job site to help right away. He loved his job, working with Joe, and his customers.  He would have worked for free (and often did). Even in the late stages of his disease, he would mimic working the job that he loved.

David’s love of family, kindness and generosity are his legacy and we have a lifetime of memories to remind us. Here are a few: cooking us breakfast on the weekend, hiding Easter eggs in semi-dangerous places, sharing his ice cream and banana pudding (his favorite), teasing the people he loved, watching sports on TV (and sometimes going to a game), giving away all his trucks and cars (and the coat off his back, if you needed it), driving his father-in-law to and from dialysis, and being gentle with kids despite his freakish strength. He was a relentless joker until the end.

He was willingly generous with his time, his most valuable commodity, and we will miss him dearly.

There is no funeral service planned. A memorial service will be scheduled for a later date. David’s family would like to express appreciation to Hospice Austin, especially his nurse, Maricela Rendon.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, Parkinson’s Foundation, or Hospice Austin.

To view and sign the guest book, visit www.post-register.com/david-davila