David E. Black

It is with great sadness that I, Susan Black, announce the passing of my beloved husband, David E. Black. He was my emotional rock, a strong, handsome, capable, funny and very smart man, and I'm forever thankful to have had him in my life for 40 years. He was the love of my life.
He passed away at our home in Palm Springs, California, on September 5, leaving behind a legacy of unconditional love to family, and kindness and compassion to all people. His integrity and dignity defined him, as did his entertaining sense of humor.
He was born in Topeka, Kansas, but moved to Seattle, Washington, at age 5 and lived in the family home on North 101st Street until he finished school. He attended Lincoln High School and the University of Washington in Seattle.
He spent 40 years in the electrical industry working in many parts from engineering design, sales, management, to finally establishing his own manufacturer's rep firm. He worked for General Electric Company, Federal Pacific Electric, Quazite Corporation, and Stusser Electric. His career took him from Seattle, Washington, to Lake Oswego, Oregon, and back again.
David raised four children with his first wife (Carrie Black): David, Mark, Steve, and Darcy.
When we married, he was living in Redmond, Washington, traveling most of the time covering the 10 western states, plus Hawaii and Alaska, and helping his brother coach a youth baseball team.
I was working full time and raising my two middle-school children. We knew very quickly we were right for each other and our courtship was brief. He became a father to my children, Jake and Annie, and he treated them as his own.
No chronology of David's life would be complete without mentioning the significance of baseball. He played for 30 years, including time on a semi pro team. He coached for 20 years beyond that. He was more than a coach. He taught the skills, the strategy, the purpose and the discipline of the game.
At Snoqualmie Pass, our home for 12 years, David became involved in county government, serving as Chair for the Kittitas County Planning Commission, as a member of the Law and Justice Committee, the local school board, and on various other committees.
He liked the New York Yankees and the UW Huskies; the writings of John Steinbeck; and the music of Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot, and country western music of the 1950s. Among his favored memories was a trip to the 1960s World Series.
When we married, David gave up traveling and joined a local electrical distributor where he managed the quotations department and inside sales team until he retired in 1989.
He was always interested in new technology and time saving solutions, so he bought a car phone when most salespeople were using desk phones. And he bought a computer back when MS-DOS was the format, so he could learn how to do quotes on it rather than wait for the office personnel to type them up for him in triplicate.
We enjoyed Husky Football and traveled to watch the team whenever possible. He enjoyed UW women's softball and volleyball as well, and became an ardent supporter of the softball team, again following them to away games and tournaments, including the Mary Nutter Softball Classic near Palm Springs, where we had a vacation home.
Eventually, as the weather in Washington became less comfortable for us, we moved to our California home full time.
When we moved to California, David's health was declining and travel became difficult.
He was preceded in death by his brother Wendell and his two oldest sons David and Mark. He never recovered from those losses, but he spoke little of them.
David was a good man and a man who made a lot of people's lives better. He is survived by me, Susan Black, Palm Springs, CA, his wife of 40 years, and four adult children who will carry him in their hearts forever: Steven Black (Karol) Rocklin, CA; Darcy (Black) LaBelle, Seattle, WA; Jake Sudderth (Anne) Lancaster, PA; Ann Miller Steckelberg (Darwin), Palm Desert, CA.
He leaves eight grandchildren whom he adored and the feeling was mutual: David M. Black Jr., (Stephanie) Boise, ID; Renee LaBelle Martin (Cameron) Lynnwood, WA; Nicole LaBelle, Seattle, WA; Ben Miller, Palm Desert, CA; Noah Miller, Palm Desert, CA; Ashley Sudderth, Lancaster, PA; Cole Sudderth, Lancaster, PA; and Brooke Sudderth, Lancaster, PA; and two Great
Grandchildren David K and Ruby Rae Black, Boise, ID. He leaves Daughter-in-Law Sharon (David) Black, Boise, ID, widow of his eldest son, and Brothers-in-Law Louis (Carol) Scharf, Ft. Collins, CO, and Bob (Laura) Scharf, Bremerton/Palm Desert.
Private Services.