David A. Eckhardt

1944 - 09

David Alan Eckhardt, 66, of Penn Hills, died of massive brain trauma from falling off a ladder outside his home Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011. Born Sept. 3, 1944, in Pittsburgh, he was a son of the late Henry T. and Martha (Riffle) Eckhardt. Surviving are his wife of 17 years, Darlene Kuszyk, of Penn Hills; siblings, the late Carol (Eckhardt) Klein (Harold), of Saltsburg, and Kenneth Eckhardt, of Mississippi; also survived by two nephews, Jeffrey Klein, of Saltsburg, and Christopher Klein, of Clarksburg; niece, Megan Klein, of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; two brothers-in-law, Jack (Barbara) Kuszyk, of Lincoln University, and Bob Kuszyk, of Penn Hills; and a sister-in-law, Caroline (Kuszyk) Rossman (George), of New Bern, N.C. David was employed by the Penn Hills School District's Transportation Department. He previously worked at Westinghouse Research and Technology Center in Churchill as a senior mechanical engineer. He had more than 20 years of experience in mechanical, chemical and nuclear engineering design, operation, analysis and evaluation. He was issued 15 patent disclosures and three patents. David was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also attended Penn State University for Industrial Engineering. He was a captian in the Army and infantry unit commander in the United States and Vietnam and U.S. Army Intelligence School. David was a member of the Docent Council at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. He enjoyed metal and wood machining, electronics, railroading, music and sailing the Chesapeake Bay. He had an exceptionally acute intellectual ability and a relentless curiosity about the world. David was a simple man, really, but a perfectionist through and through. He loved to fix mechanical things or solve any problem that came along. He also tried to be a good role model for kids. He was a wonderful husband, but he would say he didn't think so. David was always humble in that regard. He was mostly a quiet, caring man who believed that everyone should do their best. He impacted more people than he would ever know. Family and friends will be received from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the FINDLAY C. WYLIE FUNERAL HOME, 11311 Frankstown Road, Penn Hills. Service and interment are private.