David Szarkowski

July 6th, 1945 - August 23rd, 2020

David's Memory Wall

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In 1966, David and I joined the Navy together on the "buddy plan." Navy turned me down and took David. I made the cut a week later. At Great Lakes he was in Company 70 and I was in Company 90. We saw each other one time. Our companies passed each other while marching in formation. Somehow, David spotted me, flipped me off, staying in step eyes forward the entire time. He was a great friend and a true gentleman. He was soft spoken and kind. It is with great sadness that I now live in a world that he no longer inhabits. My condolences to Ann, Jay, Jen, Tom, Mary and their extended families. RIP Good friend. You will be missed. Don't worry "Big Jen" has his back.

Harry

Ann and family...please know that my sincere thoughts and prayers are with you all. There were not too many weeks in the past 30 years that I had not thought of Dave and the memories he made for me at Mallory Square. I can vividly remember the simple smile as he spoke or straightened another row of shirts...along with the giggle and grin he would sport when he schemed a trick or two on Ron D. Luckily, he never did too many tricks on me. I have missed his talks and simple demeanor with me and any one else who entered through the store front. Many conversations on a variety of topics were had when the businesses were slow...but, of course, I remember the day he said, "John, I still have my baseball cards from when I was a kid. I will bring them in for you to look at." To a young, card-collecting college kid, my eyes lit up as he had never really spoke of his childhood card collection before. He carried in two boxes one afternoon...and, you must know, that even though he had me sell some during the next few months, I still have the many cards that he didn't part with, "John, you can have the rest." I wish I had been at my mom's house a month or so later when he drove over and spoke to her about the collection, my love for cards, and the gift he wanted her to send to me to help pay for my degree at Albion College. :)
Even though I moved away from S. Haven in 2006, Dave has been one of the good friends that I left behind and have thought of continuously. He was a great friend to this young kid needed a 'buddy' when the days got long selling those tennis shoes. :)
My sincerest thoughts are with you Ann...please know that he meant a lot to me as well. -John Malbone Jr.