His studies at Princeton were interrupted by service in the Navy from 1952 to 1956. Upon returning to Princeton, he graduated with honors in English in 1959. Soon after, he married Kathryn Wedemeyer and had three children.
At General Dynamics Electric Boat for 37 years, he produced documentation for nuclear and non-nuclear submarines and ran the fleet support (logistics) in several capacities. Dave retired in 1995.
He married his second wife, Nancy, in 1976. They co-authored a history of Manasota Key in Englewood, Fla., to which they had moved. They enjoyed summers in Salem, Conn., with children and grandchildren, and spent months each summer in Brittany and traveled extensively throughout Europe. He was active in local politics in Salem and was a president of the Manasota Key Association. He loved woodworking, sailing, golfing, and ice skating. He wrote poetry and was compiling his memoirs at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; children David III, Melissa, Peter, and Molly; and grandchildren Steven, Lauren, Amandine, Jesse, and Larkin. Son Wesley predeceased him.