 David Paul Seikel was called home, but, instead of going, he died peacefully in his sleep on or shortly after February 7, 2012, at his apartment in Prague, Czech Republic. Typical for him, his precise date of final departure is a bit of a mystery, even for the local medical examiner. The cause of death is possibly related to a slight trauma causing internal bleeding due to blood-thinner medication he had taken for over 15 years after receiving an artificial heart valve; in other words, he died from a bump on the head. David had just turned 64 years old.
David was born on January 2, 1948 in Harrah, Oklahoma, had no siblings, and is predeceased by both of his parents. Though he had lived alone most of his adult life, David had become an integral part of the lives of so many. David leaves behind many dear friends, close cousins, and business associates, all "brothers in arms," sharing a camaraderie that David cultivated and carefully tended over the years. It was a rare day indeed that this far flung "family circle" did not receive an email or phone call from David on some topic relevant to them; much less would two or three days of silence pass, which was the signal that something was wrong.
David graduated from the University of Houston in 1969, where he found his calling in debate and elocution. David's reputation on the national debate tournament circuit was without equal. His partner with whom David won many competitions put it this way: "Seikel was the most technically proficient and logical debater I have ever seen -period." In fact, all who knew David came to know his gift for gab; he knew it, too, and would often humbly hand out his "Rubber Ear" awards to those who endured one of his philosophical-political-economical-religious ramblings.
David obtained his law degree from the University of Texas, where he continued to excel at oral advocacy. The University of Texas Law School is littered with plaques bearing David's name for moot court and other speech event wins; and in 1971 he was the Best Oralist (out of hundreds who participated worldwide) and Best Oralist in the Championship Round in UT's win of the prestigious Jessup International Moot Court Competition, judged that year by a panel that included Najeeb Halaby (President of Pan American World Airways, a lawyer, and the father of Queen Noor of Jordon) and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White.
David's law career was equally impressive: Over a 20-year period, David was associated with Bracewell & Giuliani LLP (a large Houston firm), a partner with Johnson & Swanson LLP (then the largest firm in Dallas), a partner in Houston boutique litigation firm Morris Campbell & Seikel PC, and finally a solo practitioner where he worked on various matters with boutique firms Caddell & Chapman PC and Yetter & Warden LLP. Though he never ceased to consult with his inner circle on legal matters, he essentially retired in the mid-1990s and became an example of how to enjoy life, constantly reminding us all that life could be short and should be savored.
In the early 1980s David caught a bad case of "gypsy feet" and began to intersperse his work periods with excursions to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, calling them "work sabbaticals" (which really meant they were just not income-productive). He traversed 5 of 6 continents before he settled down (briefly) in Kathmandu, where his home there was open to anyone who stopped by. But Kathmandu did not hold David for long, nor did his money hold out. He practiced law again long enough to build a travel chest sufficient to last him until Social Security payments kicked in, which he took a perverse joy in collecting when that time came. Then he moved to Portland, Oregon, where he took (and passed) the Oregon and Washington bar exams, mainly for the challenge. Later he tried Istanbul before hitting upon Prague. Everyone who knew David knew how much he loved Prague. Many of his friends visited him there, where he served as the quintessential tour guide, fiendishly plotting to take over their vacations and running them ragged through castles and quaint eateries and bars. David never had a knack for foreign languages, but he certainly sampled all the local dishes and dipped into the local delicacies wherever he went. He had plans to visit that 6th continent, but it wasn't to be.
However, David did leave a legacy to enable and encourage others to see and experience the world. In 1985, David founded and provided initial funding for a non-profit educational foundation (The Texas Foundation for Archaeological & Historical Research-TFAHR), which still offers educational opportunities to teachers and students from all over the world. David often went on TFAHR tours and visited its excavations. When David arrived at a dig, he always preferred to remain anonymous, never letting on to anyone that he made it all possible.
Perhaps David's most important educational role was as godfather to 15-year old Stephan, a role he embraced in full Catholic tradition beginning in 1996. Throughout the years he grew more comfortable in the role, especially as Stephan entered his teen years, when David had a lot of solid advice that only a non-parent could give, hosting annual "Seikel boot camps" in Prague, interspersed with educational travel excursions.
After David finally settled down in Prague, he offered his considerable talents in coaching the Moot Court team at the Charles University law school. In fact, he died in the midst of a multi-day judging assignment. On Tuesday, February 7, David judged a round or two for the Moot Court team, had dinner in a favorite Prague restaurant, washing it down with a cold Czech beer, returned to his minimalist furnished, but functional, apartment, equipped with stylish Apple computers and a fail-safe triple backup system, secured the seven interior locks on his door, fired off his last emails, went to sleep, and left us all.
For those inclined to memorialize his life in even a small way, David would see the beauty of a donation to the educational foundation he started many years ago (TFAHR- http://www.tfahr.org/). David would have also liked his friends and family to gather together as his guests at a memorial event at the Cougar Hilton on the campus of The University of Houston on Sunday, April 1, at 6 p.m.
Published in Houston Chronicle on March 4, 2012
![]() |
|
Bookmark this memorial on Facebook with the My Memorials™ application. My Memorials™ helps you honor departed family members, friends, and even favorite celebrities – all on your Facebook page.
|
Thank you. You have now memorialized on Facebook.
 |
The My Memorials Facebook app allows you to:
- Connect with memorials that are important to you.
- Get updates on your memorials in your Facebook News Feed.
- Share your memories with your Facebook friends.
|
|
|
|
You are searching
|
 |
|
|
