David J. Hestad

1954 - 2024

David J. Hestad

August 1, 1954 - March 27, 2024

David James Hestad passed away at home at the age of 69 from pancreatic cancer on March 27, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Dave was born in Madison, WI, on August 1, 1954, to Erling and Helene (Livingston) Hestad. Beloved husband to Vicky (Padway) Hestad, devoted and loving father of Mitchell and Anna Hestad, and proud father-in-law to Madison (Brandt) Hestad and Andrew J. Turnacliff. He was the much-adored brother of Sally (Roger Backes) Hestad and John Hestad. Siblings, whose relationship was also a deep friendship. He was the beloved uncle Dave to many nieces, nephews, and their children.

Dave was an incredibly loving husband and a wonderful father who showered his children with compassion and support. He was immensely proud of them and always present and available to them. He found great joy in witnessing their happiness and was thrilled to see both kids find loving partners and to be present at their weddings. Anna got married while Dave was in hospice and the wedding was planned in nine days. Dave was determined to walk her down the aisle, and worked very hard to make this happen, summoning his strength and reserves to be there.

He stoically met the disease. The last two years of his life were a testament to Dave's resilience and zest for life, making the most of every day. His courage in the face of adversity and his ability to be present and enjoy his time while living with so much uncertainty is a lesson for us all.

Dave was patient, thoughtful, caring, and a deep thinker. He was soft-spoken and an extremely attentive listener. He would share his opinion, but only when asked. When asked what he thought about what someone else had done, he would often say, "I don't need to have an opinion; it's none of my business." His words were filled with wisdom and humility. He had a keen and hilarious sense of humor, was a skilled guitar player and had a great love of music and art.

A 1972 graduate from Madison West High School, he earned his BS in 1976 and MS in 1980 in Agricultural Journalism from UW-Madison. He had a deep respect for and love of nature. He treaded lightly on this earth, as evidenced by riding his bike to work daily in all seasons. In Dave's words, "Who wants to have two tons of metal strapped to their a**?"

Dave was an exceedingly talented film and video producer. He excelled in all aspects of the craft. He was a cinematographer, writer, editor, and producer. Dave began his career at the UW College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and then spent most of his professional life at PBS Wisconsin. His diverse body of work spanned projects both local and international.

David's skill was evident while still a student. A film that he and professor Fritz Albert produced entitled "Wisconsin Cheese for All Seasons," won first place in an International Awards competition with 1,100 productions entered by 17 nations. Albert credited much of the film's success to Dave's tight editing.

At PBS WI, his dedication to research and storytelling brought Wisconsin's rich history and environmental landscape to life. He truly loved our state. David inaugurated the series "Wisconsin Hometown Stories" and created 11 of the hour-long programs in the series, which continues today. He was a prolific writer and producer of many other PBS WI programs spanning a diverse range of topics, from "Covering New Ground: Wisconsin's Sustainable Agriculture" to "World War II Stories: Homefront" to "Wisconsin's Historic Bars and Breweries" to "Filler'up," which looked at gas stations as icons of architecture, economics, and pop culture. He could take any topic and make something beautiful, interesting, and fun to watch.

Dave was extremely patient and thorough. His acumen for research extended beyond his producing work: every purchase made for our home was researched thoroughly. Any advice given to his kids, siblings, friends or family shared only when asked came from a deep place of understanding them and a thorough examination of the possibilities. Dave was a generous listener, deep thinker, extremely thoughtful, unassuming and humble. There was nothing better than watching Dave laugh uncontrollably. He is and always will be greatly loved and admired for his pureness and his genuine and peaceful approach to all things. The best husband and father. Ever. We miss him greatly.

Donations to these organizations are appreciated:

PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network) Action Network: PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).org/" target="_new" rel="nofollow">https://PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).org/.

Dane County Parks Foundation: https://www.foundationfordanecountyparks.org/.

PBS Wisconsin / History Programs: https://pbswisconsin.org/donate/.