DAVID DeFOREST

DAVID FLYNN DeFOREST  
Long-time Washington, DC radio personality and Voice of America announcer passed away in Arlington, VA on March 30, 2017, after a short battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. Dave's warm, baritone voice was familiar to thousands of easy music listeners at WGAY in Washington for over 15 years. Once WGAY changed its format, Dave became one of the voices of America, broadcasting U.S. news overseas. Dave was born to be on the radio. As a youngster, he built his own radio station in a closet in his bedroom, obtained a license to broadcast as the low-power station KWIC, and serenaded the neighborhood with the popular music of the day and his own programming. He also drafted his younger sisters to provide content with such shows as Debbie's Corner and The Wild Child. Dave moved into professional broadcasting in Bartlesville, OK, while he was a history major at the University of Tulsa, and worked at smaller stations in Tulsa and Beaver Falls, PA, before he found his major market radio home in Washington, DC.  Besides Dave's love of broadcasting, Dave was an active member of the Cherrydale Baptist Church in Arlington, VA. His thoroughly unflappable nature allowed him to teach Sunday school for the junior high crowd for over 20 years. Dave also bravely spent years as a middle and high school substitute teacher in the Fairfax and Arlington school systems. Dave is survived by his father, Sherwood S. DeForest of Tallahassee, FL; his sisters, Debra L. Granato of Oakton, VA, Denise M. DeForest of Denver, CO Kimberly A. Durrett of Tallahassee, FL. He also is survived by his niece, Danielle and nephew, Ryan Granato, both of Oakton, VA; and nephews, Christopher and Wayne Durrett of Tallahasse, FL. A memorial service will be held at Cherrydale Baptist Church, Sunday April 2 at 4 p.m. with a reception to follow. Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Cherrydale Baptist designated to Youth Outreach.