David R. Cahill

June 8, 1954 – August 20, 2025
It is with broken hearts that we announce the death of our beloved, David Cahill. Whether you know him as Dave, Dave the Rave, "One More" Dave, King David, Mr. Wonderful, Coach, or his favorite names, Dad or Papa, to know him was to love him.
Dave was born in Rego Park, Queens in 1954. He went to school at Resurrection Ascension, and attended Archbishop Molloy High School on a regents scholarship. The friendships he developed during these formative years became lifelong, cherished relationships.
After attending college at Manhattan College in the Bronx where he pursued a political science degree, he decided to put his academic acumen into practicing law. He attended Fordham Law School in Manhattan.
While in law school, Dave married his lifelong friend, Ellen Palumbo, on October 1, 1977. They resided in Middle Village, Queens and had their three children. They moved their family to Blauvelt, NY in January 1989 and began a new chapter, making more incredible friends, building their life together, and welcoming their cherished niece Vicky into their home as one of their own. When Dave's kids were younger, you could always find him coaching their sports teams. If he wasn't coaching, he was a proud Dad in the stands. It was the joy of his life to watch his kids and their friends play sports.
Dave loved his summers spent at Sun + Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, NY, where friends became family. Life at the beach was other worldly, where time seemed to stand still and memories were made to last a lifetime. 'Squire could always be found laughing with his back-row buddies, cocktail in hand and his famous smile on his face.
Throughout his lifetime, Dave was a devout Catholic. From contemplating entering the seminary as a young man, to his pilgrimages to the Holy Land with his beloved friend, Father Ravi, Dave's faith enabled him to live his life with a sense of ease in knowing that God has a plan for each of us.
As the first lawyer in his family (and neighborhood), Dave quickly found himself with a full book of pro bono business, which he always performed while looking for nothing in return. His career really began when he started working at Structure Tone in 1989. In his 34 years there as General Counsel, he helped grow the company into a top general contractor in the country, quietly providing countless hours of advice, and forming lifelong friendships.
We have been so blessed to have him in our lives, with his kindness, generosity, ability to put others at ease, and his humor. Dave had the uncanny ability to make everyone around him feel at home and part of the family. No matter how tense any situation was, Dave's mere presence brought calm, peace and stability. His unwavering dedication to family, friends, and faith, and the rose-colored glasses he viewed the world through helped him handle challenges with grace and dignity. In this immensely difficult time, we pray that he has instilled enough of these qualities within each of us, to help us through with the same sense of grace.
Dave is survived by his wife Ellen Cahill nee Palumbo, his three children Lauren Breque and husband Dany, Greg and wife Christina and Jessica McGrath and husband Thomas, and the most recent blessings in his life, his grandkids Anna Rose, Emma Grace, Hailey Shea, Joseph John, Quinn Cahill and Baby McGrath coming in February 2026.
Dave also leaves behind James and Marie Cahill, MaryAnn and Billy Edler, Patricia Cahill, Carol Carroll, Richard Palumbo and Phillip Palumbo, and his 19 nieces and nephews and 30 grand-nieces and nephews.
He is predeceased by his parents, Anna and Mickey, brothers, Mickey Cahill and John Cahill and sister-in-law, Vicky Cahill.
A visitation will be held at Pizzi Funeral Home at 120 Paris Avenue, Northvale, NJ on Sunday August 24th, from 2-6 pm. A funeral service will be held at St. Catharine of Alexandria Church in Blauvelt, NY on Monday August 25th at 10:30am. Interment will follow at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Nanuet, NY.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, www.t2t.org, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.