David Campbell Holsworth

1953 - 2020

David Campbell Holsworth

Bellefonte,PA - An Incredibly Special Human.

May 18, 1953 - December 30, 2020

David Campbell Holsworth, 67, of Bellefonte, PA, passed away peacefully at home and into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, December 30, 2020 with his wife, Deborah Boscaino and family at his side.

David was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to the late Charles Wayne Holsworth and Margit Larsen Holsworth . The family moved that same year to Vineland, NJ, where Dave grew up and graduated from Vineland High School in 1971. Dave then spent 2 years at Muskingham College, Ohio, after bicycling there from Vineland. He spent the next 2 years earning his BS in Zoology from Colorado State. After growing up with parents from Connecticut and Hawaii, the impetus to travel was great. Camping, exploring nature and the diversity of this world, was a major part of all their lives. This inspired Dave to become a world class rock and ice climber, climbing many of the highest mountains in the world.

Dave worked and traveled with Dresser Industries in the oil and gas drilling industry in the US and overseas; with other oil related industries around the world; and as a computer tech specialist for the American Natives on the Wind River Reservation; and later in Spain and at Penn State University. He met his first wife, Ana Isabel Doz Claver, while working in Spain, and they married in 1981. They moved to Wyoming where they had an incredible, brilliant son, Lorenzo Larsen Holsworth, in 1987.

Dave was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when he was in his 30's. With no reasonable medical insurance available in the US, the only choice for the family was to leave. Dave could qualify for Spain's health insurance through his wife AnaBel's residency. Dave worked for some time in Spain, but eventually in the 90's, most countries wanted to free themselves of the 'US' bind. It became hard for Dave to get a job, despite his still excellent brain power. A chronic debilitating disease like MS has to be an incredible burden to bear though. It takes more tolls than most of us could deal with. Dave had to leave Spain to get employment. He made his new home with his sister, Katharine, in State College, PA. He obtained a position with Penn State's World Campus, from which he retired in 2010.

Dave married Deborah Boscaino, of Bellefonte, PA in 2004. She has been his laughter, his joy, his life, his loving wife, and finally his caretaker over these years. Dave also leaves behind Deb's daughter, Kathryn Rogers Deitrich, granddaughters Hannah and Sophia, and Deb's siblings, Michael Boscaino, and Susan (Curtis) Poorman all of Bellefonte, two nieces, one nephew and three great-nephews. Dave was a son-in-law to the late Joseph and JoAnne Boscaino of Bellefonte.

David is survived by his son Loren L. Holsworth and mother AnaBel, of Barbastro, Spain; his sister, Katharine B. Holsworth of Vineland, NJ; his brother, Charles L. (Deborah) Holsworth of Corral De Tierra, CA; as well as nieces Holly (Robert) Coons of Anaheim Hills, CA, and Tiffany (Ted) D'Alessandro of Frisco, TX, and nephew, Dustin Holsworth of Pittsburgh, PA. He also has five beautiful great-nieces.

As a mountain climber, Dave had always considered death to be his worst fate, until he discovered something he felt to be worse than death - a diagnosis of chronic progressive MS. Yet through his journey with this illness, the grace of a loving God profoundly impacted his life. Dave's remarkable story of hope is found in the pages of his book, "Fate Worse than Death, Grace Better than Life". (Amazon)

The PA family would like to thank the Watermarke church; the State College Alliance Church where he actively inspired their Disabilities Ministry well into his own disability. He spent his early years in the First Presbyterian Church in Vineland, NJ, in the service of the needy, long before he knew of his own disabilities. He followed his Mother's lead in devoting his time and services to underprivileged and diversity rights.

A huge thank you goes to Dave's caregivers, his wife Deb primarily, and her family & friends who were all trained as caregivers, thanks to disability homecare support. Ascera Care Hospice also provided excellent care for Dave in the last 1 ½ years. They came day and night to keep his body functioning, as organs began shutting down.

A celebration of life will be held in PA, at a later date when the threat of Covid-19 has been dispelled.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in David's memory to Watermarke Church, Attn: Pastor Timothy Yates, 116 S. Spring Street, Suite A, Bellefonte, PA, 16823; Ascera Care Hospice, 1015 Logan Boulevard, Altoona, PA, 16602; or The Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Dean K. Wetzler Funeral Home, Milesburg, PA. made arrangement and condolences may be made at www.deankwetzlerfuneralhome.com. . Dave's Father and son were both educated in Forestry - To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.