David Jerome Nagle

1925 - 2021

David Jerome Nagle
Knowing that words can never adequately portray a life, David Jerome Nagle nonetheless made an effort, and left these, which have been lightly amended by his children. David's physical body ceased functioning on January 26, 2021. He was at peace, and surrounded by family. He was 95.
David was born March 27, 1925 in a farmhouse, near Walkill, New York. His mother, Signe (Johanson), immigrated to the U.S. from Sweden at the age of 11. His father, Jerome Van Vechten Nagle, was from a long line of Van Vechten's in NY, as well as from the more recently arrived Nagle clan of County Cork, Ireland. David grew up in Jamaica, Queens, at a time when milk and ice wagons there were pulled by horses. He graduated from Brooklyn Tech. H.S., and then served three years in the Navy during WW II. He earned a BA from the U. of VA in 1949. From 1950- 1958, he was a prominent radio and television personality in Houston, TX. Starting in 1955 he combined work, raising a family and studying law. He graduated from U. of Houston law school in 1958. He became a trial attorney, gaining certification as a Specialist in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law.
Ever restless, he moved to Colorado in 1978, and then to Austin in 1980. Utilizing his experience in media, he was a pioneer in attorney advertising. As his practice grew statewide, the staff of his law firm, David Nagle and Associates, grew from 2 to 23, including 2 physicians and 3 nurses. David was a champion of the injured and oppressed. His law practice was wide-ranging, from civil rights to business claims and, especially, personal injury. He served on both the Texas and the National Bd. of Directors of the Pacifica Foundation.
After retiring from the practice of law in 1994, he managed, established or dreamed up several other ventures. For a few years he owned and operated the Austin and San Antonio franchises of Gray Line and Carey Limousine. In 1998, following the teachings of Ayurveda, he developed a process to make Sesame Seed Oil more effective as a skin oil. His company, originally Youthing Strategies, is now called Skin Dharma. He developed a concept for internet based real estate sales by owner, which he dubbed FSBO. He is the author of a book on healthy living, "CHOOSE to CHANGE," a set of essays, "Emails to My Grandchildren," and a collection of short stories and memories that is in pre-publication.
David resided in Texas for a total of nearly 60 years. Beginning in 2000, He lived in Sonoma, CA and Savannah, GA before returning to Austin, TX in 2012. David was married four times, divorced three times, and a widower once. He was pre-deceased by his parents; his stepmother, Florence (Wells); his only sibling, Bruce Nagle; his first wife, Joyce (Snyder), the mother of his three eldest children; his second wife, Martha (Alexander Hodgeman) Voelter; and his fourth wife, Mary (Nugent McKenna). He is survived by five children: Stephen Nagle (Quincy Adams Erickson), Austin, TX; Jill O'Keeffe (Brendan), Sonoma, CA; Barbara Craven (William), Minnesott Beach, NC; Timothy Nagle (Meghan Ciganik), Dallas, TX; and Nicholas Nagle, Austin, TX; ten grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren, and his third wife, Peggy (Rosenberger) Goggans, of Round Rock, TX, the mother of Tim Nagle and Nick Nagle. Confident that the human experience is a recurring one and that his spirit will return at some time in the future, David requests all memorials be in the form of a tree, shrub or flowering bush, to help make and keep the Earth a lovely place for all. David's family wishes to thank the staff at the Heart Hospital of Austin, especially Dr. Kunjan Bhatt, and everyone (both staff and residents) at the Village at the Triangle for their many kindnesses and the wonderful care provided to David.