After an eight-month battle with brain cancer, David died February 27, 2007, at his home in Dixon, Montana. He jumped at Missoula from 1969 through 1975, was a ski ranger at Big Mountain Ski Area and worked many years in fire management for the BLM and Forest Service. David was instrumental in coordinating rescue and cleanup efforts at ground zero after September 11, 2001 and came out of retirement to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Among David's accomplishments he considered it an honor to raise Kira (Parker) Perdue after the loss of her father and good friend and fellow smokejumper, Dennis Parker.