Dave Wilcox

As a young truck driver I pulled a set of trailers onto a farm outside Junction City Oregon to load 100 lb bags of seed or hops. And older gentleman was bringing them to me on pallets and setting them on the rear of the trailers when a big man with broad shoulders jumped up in the trailer to help. It was Dave and it took me a bit to ask because he was pretty quiet and I didn´t want to make a big deal of it. But I finally did and he couldn´t have been nicer.
I told him you know you could probably carry two at a time and I would have to do so much. He just laughed and said ya but my knees probably wouldn´t like it. Ran into him a few years later at the ups store when he was sending Christmas gifts.
A genuinely nice guy and I very sorry to see he has passed. Bill Welsh

I had the pleasure of talking to your Dad in the elevator at Autzen Stadium, not knowing a thing about him. Through him quizzing us, and getting a chuckle out of it, I figured out his son was coaching the visiting team that day! I told him he must be very proud, have him a hug and continued on. It wasn’t until later my brother told me he was a Hall of Fame inductee and played at Vale Oregon, which is where I worked and lived for awhile. A small encounter but big impact, I’ll never forget, even at 64 years old.

Hugs and prayers and condolences to Merle, Josh and Justin, and family

May the God of all comfort give peace and comfort to family and friends during this time of loss and beyond.

My heartfelt condolences to the Family's...

Dear Merle
Sending you my deepest sympathy to you and your sons. He was truly a kind man and I am so sorry for your loss.

Dave was a kind, sensitive and truly athletic guy (not just football). Those who went to high school with him enjoyed as a member of our Vale Viking team of friends. Knowing him later on with Merle, his wife, was a true pleasure and he will certainly be missed at many levels.

In Vale when Dave was playing high school football the whole town closed up on home game days and went to watch the team. As a kid I was always there with my family. The team won 32 straight games while Dave was playing defense and offense, sometimes as a tight end or running back. Those were electric games. I also watched Josh and Justin play at Oregon as my two children were attending there. I met Dave twice while we lived in Oregon and reminisced about Vale. Best wishes to Merle and his entire family.

I love those memories at Kezar Stadium at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. No. 64 was the person. On Sunday's my brother and I use to collect seat cushions for our allowance for the week. Then we get the autograph for free. I still have his football card. It's on Topps.

He made it a privilege to be a 49er fan in those days.

Dave was an amazing man. My prayers go out to his family Merle, my heart goes out to you. I pray for your strength and love during this time and always.

I played football back in the day for Boise College as a linebacker and Dave was always my hero and I always bragged about meeting him once. RIP. Patrick Deja

Dave was a schoolmate and a neighbor as we were growing up in rural Oregon. He was quiet but always a pleasant person. We have all enjoyed knowing Dave and watching him excel in sports. His sons have been fun to watch excel in sports and coaching. Our condolences to his family. May God bless all.

I'm thoroughly convinced that Dave Wilcox would have played at a Hall of Fame caliber, in any era. He was that strong, that well-conditioned, that talented/skilled, that fierce, and that great. Though he is deservedly in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I still think that he is underrated. His name should ALWAYS be in the conversation, when people discuss the greatest who have ever played the Linebacker position. And the game of football.

Rest in peace, #64