David Guy Guarnaccia

David Guy Guarnaccia, a longtime resident of East Street in Carlisle, MA, passed peacefully from this life at his home, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday, November 8th, 2024, at age 63 after a valiant yearlong battle with a rare sarcoma.
Dave is the beloved husband and soulmate to Kathleen Ellison Guarnaccia as they shared life together for 44 years after meeting as next-door neighbors sophomore year of college. They moved to Carlisle in 1991 to raise their family. He is the proud and supportive father to James "Joey" Guarnaccia of Hartland, VT and Katelyn "Katie" Guarnaccia and her partner Gwen Wood of Brooklyn, NY. He instilled in his children strength of character, love of nature, artistic expression, and kindness of heart. Dave will be missed greatly by his friends, Helena, Chris, Charlie, and his dog, Graham.
Dave was intelligent, compassionate, spiritually deep, and filled with love for his family. He had a tremendous sense of humor despite being perceived as a quiet man. He loved being in nature and having a Natural Heritage Program designated site as his backyard. Dave would often gently explore his surrounds while enjoying his favorite hobbies - photography, gardening and birdwatching. His favorite subjects to photograph were flowers, landscapes, and architecture. He specialized in large format black and white fine art photography and was self-taught from many Ansel Adams books. His home flower gardens included collections of daylilies that stay open at night, selected from Seawrights and Blanchette Gardens, so Dave could do his photography after work. Dave was good to his birds and always fed them faithfully lest they decide to go to the Barber's feast next door. We would often remark that the best birding was right in our backyard: red shouldered hawks, bluebirds, pileated woodpeckers, barred owls and numerous songbirds. Dave also loved to spend time walking peacefully in the woods, and along tranquil beaches, and go deep sea fishing out of Gloucester.
Dave was born the son of the late Dr. Guy and Antoinette N. (DeSimone) Guarnaccia in Winchester, MA and spent his early life actively engaged in sports like ice hockey, baseball, and football. Dave is survived by his cherished aunt, Ann DeSimone; his brothers and sisters, Joseph and Rajita Guarnaccia; Phyllis Guarnaccia; Steven Guarnaccia; Christine Fontana; Michael and Barbara Guarnaccia; cousins Christine and Michael Hill and Keith and Lauren Leary. He is predeceased by his in-laws Robert M. and Ann-Marie K. Ellison, Sr. and survived by brothers and sisters-in law Mary-Ann Ellison; Bob and Christine Ellison, Jr.; Posie Ellison; George and Monica Ellison; Michael Ellison and partner Marcy; and Shane Ellison, as well as many treasured nieces and nephews.
Dave earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Massachusetts Amherst and an Executive M.B.A. from Suffolk University. He was an accomplished and gifted research and development engineer with many patents to his name and spent many years in the vacuum and semiconductor equipment industry for companies including Saint-Gobain Diamond Film, and ASMPT/Nexx Systems. He was admired for the quality and thoroughness of his designs, and the effort he expended to see them to fruition.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. Services will be announced on their website in the future as plans for a Funeral Mass and burial are being developed. Dave's final resting place will be in the family plot in Green Cemetery in Carlisle.
Dave's family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staffs of the Mass General Hospital Oncology and Infusion, Radiation, Neurology and Palliative Care Departments for their superior care, and Care Dimensions of Lincoln for walking with us in Dave's final days at home.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you keep Dave in your prayers and donate in his memory to a cancer research organization or art institution of your choosing.