DAVID A. WEBSTER

Ah, so sad to hear that David passed some years ago. When I moved from NYC to Boston my first job was at Graphics Etc. on Chauncy St. where I began my graphic design career. David was a wonderfully funny yet demanding boss who I loved working for and I was sad when he had to close up the shop. Luckily I still did some occasional work for Webster & Co. at my next job so we got to stay in touch a little longer.

I went to work for David in late 1973, as typesetting supervisor at Graphics Etcetera, and worked there till the spring of 1976, when my husband and I moved to Vermont and started our own typesetting business in Brattleboro. David was enormously generous and helpful, subcontracting work to us in the early days of our very small-scale entrepreneurial venture.
Another memory, and I think this was very characteristic of David—we were living in a rundown but spacious apartment in Brookline. We had David and his then wife over for dinner one night, and when he saw our enormous living room, he insisted on loaning us a beautiful Oriental rug—too big for his own living room, he said, but it would fit perfectly in this room.
He was quite right, the rug did fit perfectly—it was by far the most beautiful object in that apartment.

Good bye Dear David,
I will miss my visits with you in Palm Beach and Osterville; and especially our virtual cocktail hours these last few years.
Rest in well earned peace.
Your friend, John Appleton

I started my 40 year publishing career right after college in 1972 and met David in 1973, soon after he started Graphics Etc. Even though I was a neophyte, he always treated me with professional respect. We were business friends for many years. He was warm, funny, irreverent, and ran a very good business. I remember his telling me he was leaving graphic production and then he turned up at the Design Center where I did see his design business there. I lost track of him over the years--so sorry I didn't know he was right here on the Cape as I would have looked him up. RIP David--Paula
Paula

You will always live in my heart. We shared a special connection and had lots of good laughs and tears.
Just 1 week before, we talked and laughed so loud..like who flies in Lambchops from New York! Of course you did, nothing would surprise me and I loved to hear all of "the stories"
Thank you for reminding me of not taking life for granted,and live to the fullest everyday.
Say hello to all of the family up there and as we always ended...Love you Lots!
Beth-Anne XOXO

Each time I saw him at the showroom, he was warm and welcoming, and had the best smile...I will never forget him, and am very saddened that he left us so early.

I met David Webster in the early 80s at the Napoleon Club. We enjoyed a couple of years of social friendship until I moved from town. I owe a debt to the writer of this opus obituary for its details on what became of David over the past 35 years. I'm so glad he lived a life that suited him a life of order, of giving beauty. I have envisaged a vague alignment between David and architect Royal Barry Wills making all I've just read about him fall into place, though I'm not sure he'd have appreciated the comparison. I have decades of perspective to rake across and see what stands out most in memory. I suppose, chiefly, it was the love David had for his two boys and ex-wife, usually discussed after several cocktails at the Club or at 90 (Comm Ave) in town. David's eyes sparkled when he spoke of them, so much so that it peels easily from the top layer of my memories of David. His spirit dazzled between self-effacing humor, biting quips, to a warm and assuring friendship to a flashy in-and-out temper. Mostly he was just a delight. I've just learned we have lived very close to one another for the past four years. I have driven by his house on Wianno Road routinely without ever having known he was under that cupola, behind those hedges. All these years later, I envy the folks who spent those exciting Webster & Co. years with David and his partner, whom I never met. David Webster will live with me forever as one of my most favored privileges.