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David Shevin Obituary
In recent years David has been the Director of the Honors Program at Central State University of Ohio. For many years, David has been a board member of the Ohio Civil Liberties Union.
Graveside Services will be held WEDNESDAY (Today) at 2:30 PM at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Those wishing to attend are asked to meet at the main entrance to the cemetery at 2:15 PM. A period of mourning will be observed at the Summit at Brighton, Wednesday 7-9, Thursday 2-4, 7-9. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New Israel Fund, 1101 14th Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005, or to the ACLU, 125 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004. For directions or to leave a message of condolence for the family please visit:
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for David Shevin
Sri Sritharan
July 15, 2023
Dear David,
Rest in Peace.
Sri
Texas
October 20, 2018
How random is it that I just learned ov you passing almost a decade later. I was just sharing with a family member the highlights of my college experience. You were the first to cross my mind. Thank you for always encouraging and inspiring me to think creatively. My son (now 15 years old) appreciate your words of wisdom! You will always be remembered!
Sri Sritharan
August 15, 2010
David will forever be missed by fellow humanity focused colleagues at CSU. His kindness to all suffering people from the world and the courage he gave through his soft but deeply empathetic advice was comforting and unique. He will be in touch with us out there!
Sheryland Neal
August 2, 2010
Dr. Shevin,
I will remember you for as long as I have memory. I will tell your jokes as if they were mine. I will live my life full so, when I see you again, we will have something to talk about. When I need to, I will mourn your spiritual transition. But as long as my right hand writes, I will celebrate your life.
Shevin Family,
Great men come from great people, great families attract great friends, and great friends attract the same. Thank you, from the most sincere part of my heart, for nurturing this great man to be who he was to me - a master wordsmith, teacher, humorist, father-figure, and friend. My tears are humble sacrifices; may you cry, nevermore.
Steve McCullar
July 29, 2010
Dr. Shevin you will be greatly missed. Thank you for being a great inspiration and such a vibrant energy. You truly made the honors program and Central State a better place. Gone too soon. God Bless you and your family.
-Central State Honors Grad '07
Jeff Gamso
July 25, 2010
David's is a devastating loss.
Our point of connection was the ACLU, but my memory of him is richer than just that we shared a commitment to civil liberties. I knew him well enough to be moved, always, by his smile, his wit, his grace, his love of language, his playful charm, and most of all his friendship. He was passionate in his intellectual and moral integrity, and he demonstrated daily the marvelous ability to find joy and wonder even in the quotidian.
I shall miss him greatly.
May he rest in peace.
Lin Ryan-Thompson
July 24, 2010
I was shocked and grieved to hear of David's passing. He had a sweet, committed spirit, and it was an honor to work with him on the Heartlands publications and to simply enjoy his company. What a great loss to Ohio's creative and educational communities! He sure made the world a much better place. To David's family, colleages, and friends I extend my very deepest sympathy. ~ Lin
July 23, 2010
More than most, David walked the rich walk of diversity. It wasn't abstract to him, but instead was to be embraced.
David, in word and in deed, represented the very best of us. He was fearlessly committed to the full measure of justice.
We are much the poorer by his passing -- and we are much the richer for his exemplary service.
Scott Greenwood, fellow ACLU of Ohio board member
Anna Lank
July 23, 2010
Dear Shevins and family:
I was saddened to learn of David's passing. May his blessing be a memory, and may time start to help heal your hearts. Please know I am thinking of all of you.
Quiana Carter
July 23, 2010
I would like to send my condolences to the Shevin family at this time of your loss. I just want to say thank you Dr. Shevin for all of your help through the years at Central. Dr. Shevin was such a wonderful spirit and he will truly be missed at Central State University.
Qi Sun
July 23, 2010
When I was told that Dr. Shevin passed away, I had to read twice to take in the words. I could not believe my eyes and it took me several seconds to accept the shocking news as a cruel reality. It is a saddest thing that happened to Central State and all his Central colleagues who must remember David's obliging grace and cultured personality. I had the honor of knowing him when I worked as Fulbright Scholar in Central in the year 0f 2008-9. All the pleasant meetings and imspiring talks with David impressed me with an iconic image of a liberal-minded American intellectual, his knowledge, his poetic “chutzpah�， his integrity and compassion.
I personally witnessed his great personality during our treasured contacts.Shortly after I started my Central work, Dr. Shevin offered to take me to the well-known Dayton Literary Peace Award Reception given at Sinclair University, Dayton. He kindly gave me the lifts and the detailed fact-supported introduction about this Peace Prize that is the first and only US award to peace-promoting writers. I was amazed by his great memory and passion for the world peace. The Dayton Peace Prize experience not only became my first chapter in knowing this peace-loving mid-western city and its history. And I also found David Shevin one of the nightingales that untiringly sang for Peace, as he quotes Martin Luther King he admired, "I've seen too much hate to want to hate."
My visit at Dr. Shevin's home party with Debrah was a stronger impression of David's rich and large spiritual world. His clean kitchen and graceful kitten, all the special posters showed his great taste and broad reading. As a Chinese that grew up in the Cultural Revolution, I was epscially amazed at his Mao Tzedong ET-image poster. I was marvelling at the humor and wished we Chinese could develop that sense of humor by catooning our leaders. His beautiful home was so quiet and with such a classic collection that I think he had started to draw from his "Retirement Account," in which he writes,
"When I grow up
I will be one of those men
Who are beautiful
and inscrutible."
Dr. Shevin also asked me to his Modern Literature class and talked about Chinese liberal intellectual icon, Lu Xun. We had many thought-provoking and intriguing talks about Chinese writers, poets, and Chinese politics and history. His broad learning and perceptive insights never failed to inspire my reflections and challenge me to rethink about my own culture. David, I still have your autographed poetry books with me, which I regard as our special medium of dialogues. Although you always aimed to speak and write your "Mumbling Dialogues," I think I can understand some of your lines and will try to understand more, And don't feel offended if I presume to disagree with a few.
David's open-mindedness in politics included his firm support of Obama throughtout the election to his administration, and also part of his hallmark red-star cap, which made me believe there was a great mind dwelling in his body. He was a noble soul that knew no border nor boundary in his spiritual world, no boundary between country and country, culture and culture, race and race, even person and person.
Debbie kindly mentioned that David obviously died quietly at home. It was a big comfort. And I quote himself to say Goodbye to this noble soul.
"I will be one of those men
... ...
... ...
Who say their last
tearful goodbyes
over and over
to their beloveds
to their livelihoods
to their socks
and their teachers,
their hopes and their hangnails."
Goodbye, David, Peace to your witty soul!
Sun Qi
Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence
Central State University
Associate Professor
Foreign Languages School
Tongji University
Shanghai, China
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mike Grandillo
July 22, 2010
To a great social activist, peace
July 22, 2010
David's passion for justice and human dignity was and will always be inspirational. He was a real mensch, and he will be missed. May his memory be for a blessing. Richard Saphire, fellow ACLU Ohio Board member.
Karen Craigo
July 22, 2010
David was a lovely person who will be missed. My condolences to his loved ones.
Sandra J Valinis
July 22, 2010
Shevin was a man of integrity, commitment, and truth. He was a world-changing activist, and a first-class goofball. How could anyone not love a guy like that?
He loved words & writing. He loved teaching & mentoring young poets. He loved & cherished his family dearly.
My, but he will be missed by many, many people, including me. I hope our entries, prayers, and condolences offer some consolation to his family.
July 22, 2010
Dear family, I met David so many years ago when he first came to Tiffin, Ohio. We were a small circle of "lanzman" and he was a beloved friend. He came back to Tiffin almost every year to attend the community celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., which I am quite sure he founded or helped in the founding of this event. His smile, his brilliance, his way of peace will be in my heart forever. His memory will be a blessing in my life and in the lives of all who knew him. With deepest sympathy, Rita Barga, Tiffin, Ohio
Margaret Slowick
July 22, 2010
I am still in shock. David and I worked together in Tiffin for many years. He was a person true to himself, and lived by his ideals. Rest in peace, Dave.
ShaDawn Battle
July 22, 2010
I humbly send my condolences to the Shevin family. I cannot express how much Dr. Shevin meant to me as a former professor, mentor, and as a senior colleague. I will carry him always. Shalom, Dr. Shevin
Respectfully,
Sha'Dawn D. Battle
mark berman
July 22, 2010
David was our classmate, friend, colleague and source of inspiration. No one could turn a phrase like him. No one could teach like him. All admired him. The colour in the world has drained a bit -- but G-d has his poet laureate. May his work and memory be only for a blessing.
Jayson Iwen
July 22, 2010
Who will I have lunch with now? I'll miss you Dave. I'll miss your bewilderingly erudite dialogue, your jokes, your riddles. I'll miss my comrade.
kim hitchcock
July 22, 2010
Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you.
Neil Day
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
So sorry to hear of his passing, I got to know him while he was at Tiffin, and he was a pleasure to be around. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
Neil Day
Barbara Reynolds
July 21, 2010
My heart is broken upon hearing the sad news of the passing of our beloved brother Dr. David Shevin.
He was the reason that I was able to spend an extraordinary year at Central State as Director of the Honors Program which he chaired. We were more than colleagues he was a friend. His dedication and total commitment to Central State and the students were an inspiration to me. In his name and spirit, all of us must continue his legacy of love, excellence and intellectual exploration. He was a poet, essayist, drum major for justice, activist, champion and pioneer. He was authentic and original. I can only believe that God loved him even more than we did to bring him home so soon.
To the family, Even in your sadness, may you find comfort in knowing that the angels must be smiling because your loved one is among them now.
Rev, Dr, Barbara A. Reynolds
Patrick Saunders
July 21, 2010
I became a better person because of knowing David. He was more than a truth teller but lived his life the same way.
John Chime
July 21, 2010
I had reconnected with David through Facebook. I had missed his wonderful sense of humor and as I reread some of his poetry, I only now begin to realize the depth of our loss.
Denise Huggins
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
Dave was a wonderful colleague who will be missed so very much. I could always count on Dave to tell funny stories and have the best jokes. He brighten my days and I feel so sad that he will not continue to be a part of the campus. My thoughts and prays are with his family and friends.
Denise Huggins
Tamia Shaw
July 21, 2010
To the family of Dr. Shevin, Hello I was a student of Dr.Shevin's and I would just like to extend my deepest sympathy to you from Me and my Family. I was so blessed to have the honor to learn from him. He was a blessing to All that he met. He was more than a professor he was a friend.God Bless you all! To Dr. Shevin, You accomplished the task that God put you on earth to do. I just hope to see you again when I get up there! Save a Place For Me!!!
Larry Smith
July 21, 2010
I have posted a couple of David's more personal poems on our web page. He will be remembered for his good deeds and words, and his lively wit. He was a good friend.
http://smithdocs.net/david_shevin_poems
John Vanek
July 21, 2010
To the family and friends of David Shevin: I am saddened by the news of David's passing. He will truly be missed. You are in my thoughts and prayers. John (Jack) Vanek
G Jahwara Giddings
July 21, 2010
Dave, I miss you! I will continue to be inspired by your collegial spirit and commitment to human dignity. CSU is poorer as a result of your passing. Your family should know that the CSU community is also your family!
July 21, 2010
A brief note to Dr. Shevin:
You left us too soon, there was so much I needed to learn from you.
A.S.B.
Anthony Arment
July 21, 2010
Dave will be sorely missed on campus. He was a mentor as well as a colleague. Dave was also a true renaissance scholar, able to inject depth and humor to any conversation. His dedication to the faculty and students of CSU is a testimony of his beliefs in civil rights, faculty governance, and education.
My deepest condolences and best wishes to his family and friends, on and off campus.
Ramani Kandiah
July 21, 2010
You will really be missed as a collegue and wonderful humanbeing.
Subramania Sritharan
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
I am a colleague of David at Central State University and had the good fortune of working with him on numerous academic tasks including teaching in the Honors Program which he directed. David was a great humanist in the best of the traditions. This is a great tragedy for his family and all at CSU. His e-mails always came with immensely humorous views of life. He had a global humanist outlook. I cannot still reconcile with the fact that he had left us. It is difficult to console anybody now who knew David. I am giving a quote from one of his e-mails, if that would help anybody.
"I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure -- that is all that agnosticism means. --Clarence Darrow (1857-1938)"
Sri Sritharan (Colleague)
Cadance Lowell
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family, My sympathies are with all of you. I was blessed to spend time with David this past June in Washington DC at a conference. I knew him as a colleague, but also counted him as a close friend. He will be sorely missed.
Annette Lorenzo
July 21, 2010
Dear Shevin Family,
David will be missed by many, but his messages of freedom will go on through his written words and foot prints he left for others valuing the strength of a statement offered with compassion.
Annette Lorenzo
Willie Houston
July 21, 2010
To the family and friends of Dr. David Shevin, I extend my deepest sympathy to each of you. On numerous occasions, I had opportunities to work directly with David at Central State University. He was truly a gentleman, colleague, an ambassador for our students, and well respected by the university community. My prayers are with you during this time of bereavement. Willie Houston, Assoc. V.P. Academic Affairs (Wilberforce, Ohio)
Anna Matijasic Hennessy
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
I offer my love and condolences to you. David was a great friend to my mother and was part of a wonderful circle of poets that I learned a lot from in my early years. He was so brave and so intelligent, so kind and enthusiastic about teaching. I will miss him.
Mary Weems
July 21, 2010
Very sorry to hear about he passing of such a fine poet and person. Dave, I didn't have the honor of calling you friend, but know of your long time friendship with Larry Smith and the contributions the two of you made on behalf of poetry. Rest in peace poet, I'll keep your poems close and remember your voice.
July 21, 2010
My sympathies are with all of you. I will keep all of you in my prayers. I have MANY memories of David. Blessed Be. Miriam K. Fankhauser
July 21, 2010
To David's family, he was an inspiration to so many of us and always such a gentle, kind person. very sensitive to the problems of others and his writing revealed his passion for others and for life. Ron Ruble (Huron, OH)
Shay Lennon
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
I am so sad and lost at this moment. I could always excpect to walk into the office and get a laugh from one of his crazy jokes or stories. He always talked about all of you, mother, Mayer, Johnathan, Kobi, Natalie and a few other family members I may have forgotten. The best boss I every had! Peace be with you and your family.
Shay Lennon, Adm. Asst., Honors Office
Leroy Burroughs
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family, Peace and Blessing. I am so sad and sorry to learn of Dr. Shevin's passing. I am one of his former students at Central State Univeristy '10. I pray that with time, the sadness of your son, brother, and uncle would be replaced only loving, happy memories and peace.
Debra Malowitz Haring
July 21, 2010
To the Shevin Family,
I am so sad and sorry to learn of David's passing. I hope that with time, only loving, happy memories of your son, brother, and uncle will replace your sadness and bring you comfort. It seems like just a heartbeat ago we were kids hanging out on Irving Road, and in awe of David, the poet. May his memory be for a blessing.
Love,
Debbie
Geoff Schutt
July 21, 2010
Dave -- You touched so many lives with your poetry, your teaching, your friendship and love. In those times when I need a laugh, or dose of reality, I'll pull up one of your emails, or read one of your poems. I'll play some Phil Ochs, and I'll toast to you. Thank you for bringing so many dimensions of creativity into my life -- and thank you for teaching all of us to listen just a little bit closer. To peace, my friend. To peace.
Cherie Bullock Myslinsky
July 21, 2010
To Dave's family: I may not be able to be there by his side but my heart is and always will be his. He was my grandfather, my friend, my mentor, and my voice. I am sorry for your loss. He was amazing.
To Scout: extra treats and belly rubs
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