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BORN
1967
DIED
2022
David Poole Obituary
October 5, 1967 - July 9, 2022
Raleigh, North Carolina - David Alan Poole, 54, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July the 9th. He was born in Wake County to the late Hunter Alton Poole Sr., and was predeceased by his brother, Hunter Alton Poole, Jr. David is survived by his wife Michelle, his mother Olive, Brother-in-law Bill Goodwin, and Sister-in-law Frankie.
David was an avid hiker and loved the outdoors as well as his many cats. He recently converted to Catholicism and became a devout Eucharistic minister, and Vice President of the Legion of Mary at Saint Joseph Catholic Church. He was known for his kindness, generosity, integrity, and his sense of humor with impeccable timing to deliver a punchline.
David joined Glaxosmithkline in 2003 and worked in the area of packaging artwork and supply chain. He loved his time there and the friends he made around the world. David received many performance excellence awards from GSK citing his passion, entrepreneurship, innovation, and sense of urgency.
An interment service will be held at 11:00am Saturday, July 23, 2022 at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Raleigh, N.C. on Poole Road.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for David Poole
Dorella
July 15, 2023
Dear David, where ever you are.. you are still with us here in Verona
Andrea Corsi
October 5, 2022
Happy Birthday David, wherever you are!
I remember you were a fan of 'Tiramisu'. I want to imagine you having a biggest slice ever, thinking to your italian colleagues!
A big hug,
Andrea
Roberto
October 1, 2022
My sincere condolences to the family. David was and still is a "Good Christian and Honest Citizen". It was a fortune to cross his paths, I'm sure he will protect all of us from where he is now, bye my friend, we will never forget you.
Richard Adams
July 26, 2022
Michelle and Olive - my heart goes out to you both and all of your families. I thought I would put my eulogy for David here in case you wanted to read and reflect on the memories many of us at GSK had of David. He was a beloved colleague and friend...
First off - my name is Richard Adams, and myself and many others here today worked with David at GSK .
I want to thank Michelle and Olive for asking me to say a few words today - I have never done this, but it is an amazing gift to have been asked.
For most of the 19 years I´ve known David it was through work and mainly a business based relationship - until he left GSK in 2019, then we morphed into even better friends.
When I was thinking about speaking today and what I was going to say, I thought of the usual stuff about my friend David that immediately popped into mind:
- Avid football fan...go Panthers!
- Very Techy-Video Games...
- Crazy cat guy - 167 at last count, right Michelle?
But if you´re here, you probably know a lot of that, right?
So then I was thinking about what do I know best about David, and that is how I feel about David and what his friendship meant to me.
I don´t know if David coined this phrase, but I use it all the time at work - and I try to remember to always attribute it to him, and that is:
"Business moves at the speed of relationships"
That is such a great thought - and that is how David approached me and everyone he worked with.
David built friendships easily and with me, and many others I imagine, he did that with humor.
He and I had a few long running jokes, most of which I can´t really discuss here
- Look! A Squirrel!...comes to mind
- He used to say I was the `wind beneath his wings´ because he knew how much I hated that song
- And other jokes linked to movies like ´40 Year Old Virgin´ and `Brokeback Mountain´...Ill just leave those alone for now
When I told some of my Verona work colleagues that David had passed, I had no idea that he had recently Facetimed the folks in Italy when he was on of his long hikes just to say hello and stay connected.
Some of their reactions to David´s news speak volumes about how he had built and maintained those relationships.
A few phrases they said or wrote about David jumped out at me:
- `infectious energy´
- `contagious, kind smile´
- `his ability to inspire and believe in yourself´
- And from the team in Verona: `David´s kindness, generosity and integrity made him forever attached to us despite the distance between us´
When David left GSK rather suddenly in July 2019, I was sad and surprised but we had a chance a little later to talk about that and he told me:
`Richard I have to do this for my family and for myself - I know I have to do this - I have to change my circumstances´
I think a lot of us might think about making radical life changes but how many of us really and truly do?
There was kind of a `lost year´ after David left GSK where I didn´t see him much, but when I did see him - I was shocked.
He had really done it. He had tapered himself off medications. He had started trekking and very much enjoyed telling anyone that would listen:
- how far he´d gone
- how long it took
- how many steps he took
- how many calories he burned - per day - per mile
- how much weight he was carrying
- that he had hiked from 0800 to 1330 - seriously with the military time?
- EXHAUSTING
David loved him some data.
But when I saw him next, I think he was down around 70 pounds! Eventually losing over 100 pounds.
This is what happens when you have 516 consecutive days burning a minimum of 500 calories per day - one of the last stats I got from David!
But he did it. He really transformed himself. Later in 2020, he reached out and asked me if I would be his sponsor for his conversion to Catholicism.
David was confirmed in the Catholic church, here at St Joseph´s on Easter of 2021. He and Michelle came to the house for our traditional Easter meal of lamb and rice and we put it in our calendars (well he did ) to do that each year.
It felt like his physical, mental and spiritual `reboot´ was complete.
I was always impressed to hear David speak of how supportive Michelle was of his journey the past. I am sure you all can imagine how strong a marriage must be to endure David´s wit and dry sense of humor for those many years
David loved, LOVED his Mom, Olive...whenever he would come to visit her on our side of town, he would let me know and we would meet for lunch and just `shoot the `you know what´
So when David´s heart failed him, I tried to reconcile and understand why now, why this man, why this family?
After all his mother has been thru lately, and all that Michelle has been thru and all the work that David had put into transforming his self - why now?
And later on, I thought about his quote: `Business moves at the speed of relationships´
My only comfort comes from thinking that David´s relationship with God had come to a point where God felt he needed to call David home...and he needed him now.
I will miss my friend.
David´s legacy is one of love, humor, humility, inspiration and friendship.
Lastly, I really like this Maya Angelou quote:
"I´ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Thank you David for your many years of laughter and friendship and thank you again for Michelle and Olive this opportunity
God bless you all.
Sara Corradi
July 25, 2022
I'm so sorry for your loss! David was really a great person: we met first time in Barnard Castle around 15 years ago and I cannot believe he is no more with us.
Please accept my condolences, I'll pray for all of you.
Joshua Tusin
July 24, 2022
I´m so very sorry for your loss. David was a colleague who made a big difference in my professional life, but even better, he was also someone who I considered a friend. Our chats and camaraderie have always been a highlight of my time at GSK. I know his memory and spirit will live on.
Pam Jenkins
July 23, 2022
I am so very sorry for your loss. I worked with David in pack tech group at gsk. David always greeted me with a bright beautiful smile to light up the room. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Chris Hunt
July 22, 2022
This is sad news. Its a long time since I worked directly with David, but I will never forget him. I have the fondest memories of his dry sense of humour and his excellent work ethic. I only visited NC once and David was ever present in making my stay a pleasurable one. My heartfelt condolences to the whole family. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Rest in Peace my old friend.
Donna Melton
July 21, 2022
I was so sorry to learn of David's passing. He was always such a kind person with a smile ready to brighten your day. I can't imagine your pain at his loss but hope you find some comfort in knowing that he is at home with Jesus now. Love, prayer and much sympathy to you!
Kevin Gagnon
July 21, 2022
I am so sorry for your loss, he left us way too soon. I worked with David in the packaging group at GSK and he was such a wonderful guy. What I loved about David is that he wasn't afraid to be himself... please accept my sincere condolences you are all in my prayers.
Ernesto
July 21, 2022
David leaves me a memory of a kind and caring person for others as fate rarely makes you meet. My deepest condolences to the family.
Margherita (Italian GSK colleague)
July 21, 2022
I don´t have enough words to express my sorrow. I´ll keep David in my memories, his sense of humor, his kindness, his smile. These will never go away. Despite the miles away, my heart is close to his family and I keep you all in my prayers.
Margherita Cavattoni
Diane Yoakam
July 21, 2022
It's been well over a decade since David last worked with me, but his heartwarming smile won't be forgotten. He was a bright, articulate man who was always, always willing to help. The world is poorer without him.
Paola Raggi
July 21, 2022
I worked and met David soon after I joined the artwork team in GSK, but I´ll always remember his kindness, his deep attention to people in his team. I also remember him when he made his hair blond (very courageous and again showing to be a man of his word!) or in the trip in Venice for the organization anniversary. I think to have been lucky to have talked to him at the end of June with a video call, he looked so happy in his walking on a path in the wood. He managed to set a lot of connection and friends around the world and I am quite sure that all have the same good memory of David. Pls accept my heartfelt condolences. David and you all are in my prayers.
Paola Raggi
Christopher Vasey
July 21, 2022
We hadn't spoken for a while. But I still counted you as one of my very best friends. The friendship you've shown me over the years will be my lasting memory. How you looked after this British guy on his work trips to NC will not be forgotten.
Rest in peace top buddy and sincere condolences and thoughts to the family.
Andrea
July 21, 2022
You have been more than a colleague! You have been a friend!
You were a real genuine person!
My heartfelt condolences to the family!
Dorella, Verona
July 21, 2022
David was a great and a good person. We built a strong relationships together, in GSK, based on respect, love, sensibility and laugh.
We tried to support each other in good time and bad time.
No matter if we had an Ocean in between.
I will miss him very much.
I address my deepest and warmest condolences to his mum, wife, all the cats around, relatives and friends.
Thank you David, save a little pray for all of us.
Dorella
Lyndsay Hanna
July 20, 2022
I knew David through GSK. He was such a kind person. Truly genuine. I am so sorry to hear of his passing. My condolences, thoughts, and prayers as you mourn your loss and navigate this time.
Amy Creech
July 20, 2022
I enjoyed working with David. He was so kind, interesting, and funny. A truly good soul. Condolences to his family for this loss. I am at a loss for words, but know my thoughts are with his family.
Greg House
July 20, 2022
Condolences to you and your family. I had the pleasure of knowing David through work. Very kind and great sense of humor. His self transformation over the past few years was truly remarkable and inspirational.
All the best to you.
Benny Hutchins
July 20, 2022
I worked with David at GSK and will always remember him fondly. He was a unique and wonderful person, intelligent and kind. I am thrilled to hear he knew Jesus and that he is now in a much better place.
Lynne Mather
July 20, 2022
Heartfelt condolences. I worked with David a few years ago, he always made me laugh. Such a sad loss. He was a lovely man x
Ian Howe
July 20, 2022
I worked with David for many years in the US artwork team in Barnard Castle, what a great guy and boss. Always looked out for you. I always remember he would message and say `screen secure?´ He would call and we would chat about video games! Was lucky enough to meet him a few times when he visited. He left a lasting impression on me and many others he worked with and met. Love to you and your family at this difficult time.
Tracy Williams
July 20, 2022
So very sorry to hear the news of David´s passing. I only worked with David a few short years at GSK but he always had time to share his experience and knowledge.
Paula Parker
July 20, 2022
David was such a lovely guy who was kind and caring and had such a great sense of humour!
Sending my deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with you all x
GSK North American Hub
July 20, 2022
We are still lost for words in the passing of our dear friend and colleague, David. He was such an inspiration and one who enjoyed life-always had a punch line! We send our condolences to the Poole Family. You have lost a jewel but God has gained an Angel. You´re in our thoughts and prayers.
Antonella Anello
July 20, 2022
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
DW
July 20, 2022
So incredibly sad. Loved our telephone chats when you took up hiking David, you would inspire me with your infectious energy, and you always left me feeling happy that we made time in our day for those casual chats. God bless you brother x
Anna Fanfarillo
July 20, 2022
Please accept my warmest condolences, I am deeply sorry for your loss.
Isabelle Baron
July 20, 2022
David was dearly missed when he left GSK some years ago. He was so considerate but such a fun colleague.
I am so glad I got to speak to him just a few days before his passing and see his contagious smile while he was hiking.
My God bless you and guide you through this time of great sorrow.
Isabelle Baron
Terry Darden
July 19, 2022
Words immediately left me when I heard the news of David's passing. I am one of the many recipients of David's kindness. He was the reason that I was able to get the opportunity to work alongside him and the other wonderful and talented people on his team while he was still in Management with GSK. David could make you laugh, he could make you believe in yourself, and he could inspire you even when you felt like you were standing before a Goliath.
My family and I will send up prayers for strength not just for the days ahead but also prayers for God's peace and comfort for years to come.
Heartfelt Sympathies,
Terry Darden
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