DAVID KERSEY Obituary

KERSEY--David White. David Kersey died in his NYC apartment on April 1. Loyal New Englander, lifelong New Yorker. Cherished teacher of history and drama at the Allen-Stevenson School. Beloved husband, brother, stepfather, step-grandfather. Vigorous gardener. All were better for his company.

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Published by New York Times on Apr. 7, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for DAVID KERSEY

14 Entries

James Holt H´03

March 31, 2024

He was the finest man I ever worked with. He helped me tremendously when I came to Allen Stevenson. He was Allen Stevenson!

James Holt

July 13, 2023

I worked with Mr. Kersey for 15 years at the Allen-Stevenson School. Outside of my father, he was the finest man I ever knew. He was "Mr Allen Stevenson."

Elizabeth Farren

April 26, 2023

Oh dear, Mr. Kersey. You will be deeply missed.

Nothing I write will do justice to the whole you, and your life, and all the many gifts you gave to those who knew you, but I have a memory to add to this wall.

When I met you in seventh grade, during auditions for the Allen Stevenson production of Shakespeare´s The Tempest, at first I was intimidated by your gruff questions, how you squinted, and how you stared ahead straight faced, not false, or that you didn´t easily let the world into your thoughts. Indeed, I was sure I hadn´t gotten picked for a role when you dismissed me after my audition, but I later found myself surprised and grateful to have been chosen to perform as Miranda. On our first rehearsal, I remember descending into the AS cafeteria. The lights were mostly dimmed, and there you were, sitting on a lunchroom table, dramatically x-ing out whole passages of Shakespeare. When we finally passed the read-throughs and made it to the make-shift stage, you held one hand over your mouth while you used the other to dramatically sweep us left and right. You called us by our last names, and when we finally did something right, your arms fell, your wide smile opened up, and the whole set felt your same relief.

This `brave new world´ is smaller for your loss. My heart goes out to Christine, Will, Nick, and all your family.

"Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea change
Into something rich and strange."

(The Tempest, Act 1, scene 2)

Denise Levy

April 13, 2023

David was a wonderful teacher at Alan Stevenson. He taught all of my 5 sons. So sad to hear of his death DENNY LEVY

David O´Halloran

April 12, 2023

David was a man of few words and powerful thoughts. As a young teacher at Allen-Stevenson in the late 80s and early 90s, Mr. Kersey inspired and influenced, kindled passion and exuded grace. I will never forget. May he rest in eternal peace-

Stewart & Kathy Friend

Planted Trees

Melinda REACH

April 10, 2023

Dear Christine,
I am so sorry to hear that David passed away last week. I will not forget his joy tending to his Maine garden paradise which I was privileged to share with him on several occasions.
My deepest sympathy,
Melinda Reach

Louis A. Ojeda 51 East 90th St.

April 9, 2023

I am a doorman at a former residence of Mr. Kersey and it was always a pleasure to see and interact with him. We always had a hilarious banter between us since i was a yankee fan and he loved his red sox. He was a good man who was down to earth with a great sense of wry humor. R.I.P.

Barbara M. Walker

April 7, 2023

The Death Notice for David Kersey in the New York Times is elegant, one of the best. "All were better for his company" reaches out even to me, who never knew him or heard of him but will not forget that he was among us.
Barbara M.Walker, age 95
Valhalla, New York

Sandy Dickinson

April 7, 2023

Mr. Kersey was one of those few teachers that have had an impact on my entire life. I was in his first Allen Steenson Fourth Grade class and will never forget his guidance that year and the ones that followed.

Ginny Poland

April 7, 2023

Christine and family, So sorry to hear of your husband's passing. Ginny Poland

Helen Miller

April 6, 2023

At Allen-Stevenson, the all boys school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, David Kersey was an institution, but he also had more than a few fans at Nightingale-Bamford, the all girls school up the street. In fact, I think it was a pair of Nightingale girls working on a play with Mr. Kersey (giggle, giggle) who introduced him to the novelist Christine Schutt, their English teacher and his future wife. One way or another Mr. Kersey got his adolescent charges to focus on literature and theater, not to mention the emotional turmoil, bad decision-making, and heroism of people other than themselves (with little more than a script and the occasional flying chair). I remember the first time David commended something I did. I was part of the supporting cast, at the back of the crowd, when he challenged us to speak up. The exhilaration of using my voice and then being picked out as an example to inspire others is still palpable to me. Looking back, Mr. Kersey's insistence that you "speak your latent conviction" - and, moreover, someone else's - makes me thankful to be reminded of him now. A teacher myself, I haven't the slightest idea how he brought so much energy, good humor and care to the project of broadening our horizons (and always looked so dapper & disheveled doing it).