David Weingartner

David "Dave" Weingartner passed away peacefully on July 6, 2025, in Holden Beach, NC at the age of 72. Born in Butte, Montana on February 27, 1953, Dave led a life defined by hard work and quiet service.
Over the years Dave found himself in all kinds of places-scuba diving down hundreds of feet in search of elusive sea creatures, rucking heavy packs through dense, smoky brush as part of wildland fire crews, and spending long nights tuning and driving muscle cars that sometimes pushed the limits of good judgement. During his Peace Corps years, Dave trained and occasionally fought in martial arts competitions-drawn to the challenge and discipline. In more recent years, he found peace navigating the Carolina coast on his skiff, savoring the water and the company. Above all, Dave cherished time with his wife, Debby, and had a quiet way of making sure everyone around him was having a good time-relaxed, laughing, and fully in the moment. He never missed a chance to jump in with his daughter and grandchildren-always happy to be part of the chaos, the laughs, and whatever life had in store that day.
A 1971 graduate of Butte High School, Dave earned a degree in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana in Missoula in 1975. Driven by a strong desire to give back, he joined the Peace Corps and spent three years in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. After returning home, he began a master's program in Land Use Planning at the University of Montana, where he met his future wife, Debby Hurlburt, in 1979. They married in 1981 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and soon began their life of adventure together moving to Kotzebue, Alaska. While living in the Artic, Dave worked for Maniilaq Association and purchased a Piper Super Cub, which he flew across Alaskan wilderness whenever he could. Dave's professional journey reflected his deep commitment to justice and the environment. After welcoming their con, Clayton, in 1985, the family moved to Portland Oregon, where Dave earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark. Their daughter, Molly was born in 1987, and by the early 1990's the family returned to Alaska-settling first in Kenai, where Dave began his legal career with the state of Alaska. He brought compassion, integrity, and purpose to his work, later serving in Juneau and ultimately in Anchorage, where he spent the rest of his career as an Assistant District Attorney. In the late 2000's, he also spent time in Hawaii advancing conservation efforts to protect marine ecosystems.
Outside of his career, Dave was a gifted wood-worker and meticulous craftsman, known for his patience and eye for detail. In his later years, he found joy boating along the Intracoastal Waterway creating lasting memories with his family on the water he loved. He was passionate about the outdoors whether riding his fat tire bike on the beach, selecting just the right camera and lens to photograph a rare bird, or traveling near and far to explore history and place with curiosity and care. Dave will be remembered for his kindness, quiet humor, steady generosity, and the deep love he showed those around him.
He is survived by his wife, Debby; his children, Clayton(Jessica) and Molly(Jesse);his brother, Charles "Brooks" Weingartner, and his sister, Susie Howard. He also leaves behind two treasured grandchildren, a large extended family of nieces and nephews and many dear friends. Dave is preceded in death by his father, Clayton Weingartner, and mother, Letty Brooks Weingartner.
A celebration of life will be held in La Crosse, Wisconsin in September.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to support glioblastoma research at Duke University. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David, please visit our floral store.To make a memorial donation, please visit the donations section of this obituary.