David H. McIntyre

1936 - 2012

David H. McIntyre, a longtime Idaho Springs resident, died Dec. 15, 2012, from liver cancer at Life Care Center of Evergreen. He was 76.
He was born July 13, 1936, in Yakima, Wash., the son of Albert P. and Mabel E. McIntyre. He graduated from high school in Renton, Wash., in 1954 and went on to receive bachelor's and master's of science degrees in geology from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in geology and anthropology from Washington State University in 1966.
For 20 years, he worked as a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, beginning in Puerto Rico. Virginia (Ginger) Steen of Chicago and Dave were married there in 1967. They had met as graduate students at Washington State.
After returning to the states, Dave worked chiefly in the Salmon River Mountains and the Owyhee Mountains in Idaho. His specialty was regional geologic mapping of volcanic rocks.
The McIntyres moved to Idaho Springs from Lakewood in 1973.
Following retirement in 1986, he continued with various community volunteer projects that had been begun years before. For about 10 years, he had been repairing and rebinding books for the Idaho Springs Library. He then wrote an illustrated guide describing the procedures and went on to serve on the library's Board of Trustees for about another 10 years.
Summer weekends in 1987 saw Marion and Clyde Anderson's crew re-landscaping the library grounds. Dave was part of that crew. In 1988, he was part of the group that restored the water wheel and later maintained it. He wrote a guide for wheel maintenance, and a booklet on the history and restoration of the wheel.
In 1990, he began doing design and typesetting at the computer for various clients, including Sander Graphics Printing and Coyote Manufacturing. As a volunteer project, he typeset the index (compiled by Dee Wahlberg) for the second edition of "History of Clear Creek County."
His interest in photography grew with age. After retirement, he began doing more, both digital and large-format film.
Bit by bit, Dave landscaped the backyard of their place on Colorado Boulevard, including a series of mortared-stone retaining walls and steps. As a volunteer, he maintained for several years the grass, trees and hedge in front of the Project Support Senior Center on Miner Street.
He became one of the morning fixtures at the Java Mountain Roasters coffee shop on Miner Street. He often was seen walking to and from the post office, commonly with Carroll White or Herman "Lefty" Yost, the town's champion walker.
Dave had long been a member of the informal Old Timers Mining Luncheon Club, which has met weekly for many years, first in Georgetown, later in Idaho Springs.
There will be no services. Memorial contributions may be made to Project Support Senior Center, P.O. Box 1231, Idaho Springs, CO 80452, or to Friends of Charlie's Place (Clear Creek Animal Shelter), P.O. Box 292, Dumont, CO 80436.