I remember Dave way back from Clifford middle school...as a quiet, unassuming, and easygoing kid. He wasn't especially popular, and pretty much kept to himself, but I will never forget the day when that changed. That was also the first time I recall ever seeing him actually grinning from ear to ear as he found himself the center of attention with a bunch of guys sitting around one of the outside picnic/lunch tables. Turns out that the kid who was arguably one of the most popular, biggest, good looking and muscular jocks among us 7th grade guys -- Corey Reddick (anyone remember him?) -- had somehow entered into an arm wrestling contest with a bunch of the guys. Evidently someone had started the bright idea that we should determine if we could find anyone who could beat him. Everyone he wrestled met the same fate - Corey trounced them all. But somewhere in this process, someone jokingly thought to ask Dave to give it a try. Dave shrugged and agreed, even though he was much smaller than Corey, and it didn't look like it was going to be a fair match at all. We all expected another easy pin for Corey. But the joke was on us.
I will never forget watching Corey's face turn beet red (couldn't tell if it was from embarassment or effort - but probably both...) as Dave again and again easily dispatched Corey with seemingly little effort, in 3-4 seconds. It was no contest at all. Everyone was just amazed that this little kid could so easily pin Corey every single time. Corey had these huge biceps, much longer arms -- in comparison, David didn't seem to have very much meat on his arms at all, so those of us who observed this event were pretty amazed. I think we all learned something that day -- that things are not always as they appear to be. And Dave gained some long-lasting respect as a result. It's a guy thing...
Also, about that same timeframe, Dave showed up at school one day and gave our class a presentation I've never forgotten. I don't know if it was for a report he had to do, or if he just wanted to share his Jewish heritage with us. It was my first exposure to Jewish traditional practices of any kind. He came all dressed up in traditional Jewish attire (complete with white prayer shawl and "kippah", or skull cap), explained to us what the Torah was, and treated us all to some sort of Jewish religious ritual (don't recall which one...), with singing and chanting in Hebrew. It was an eye-opening and unforgettable episode for me, since I was exploring who God was at that time.
I was impressed, and always recalled those two events with fondness whenever I thought of him. On top of it all, I always knew him as a great kid, well into high school. Thanks for the great memories Dave.
David was a good friend in Middle School and through High School. I remember his up beat humor and big smile everytime I needed a lift.
I just found this site and wanted to catch up with David, and found out about his passing just now. I know that God has him singing his prayers on a regular basis. God Bless You David. I hope you were able to be a Cantor.
I'm not one to read the obituaries however there is a certain connectedness with one's classmates (at whatever age) and so I have been perusing SCHS lost classmates and discovered sadly, Dave.
I first met Dave at Central School, we had the same teachers often. He was quiet, gentle, smart, unassuming, summed up... a gentleman. And Kevin, yes I do remember Corey Reddick, the tall, physically mature (could be because he was older than the rest of us y'know), arrogant, schmoozer of the girls with his following of wanna-be's and it doesn't surprise me that they would pick on Dave. Dave was a target by a lot of kids, anyone recall the day Pat Kellogg ( anyone remember HER?) 'called out' Dave Serbin for a playground fight? Big crowd, circled around them with Pat who was much taller and larger stature than David, and she insulted him by both 'calling him out' and then getting on her knees to fight him. I was there trying to stop the entire circus, and what I noticed and will never forget is the look on Dave's face, his embarrassment I believe that he had to make a decision to fight a girl when I'm sure he knew it was wrong, but how could he decline and save face? I remember the struggle on his face and my heart broke for him. I was finally able to talk Pat out of her stupidity, but not before acted out some preliminary fight techniques. I always thought Dave was uncomfortable with the decision he felt he had to make, and I respected his struggle, even if the decision was misguided. I believe him to have always been an honerable man and I'm sorry to hear that his life was so short.
The Lord bless you and keep you, Dave. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
Kevin H. Wirth
I remember Dave way back from Clifford middle school...as a quiet, unassuming, and easygoing kid. He wasn't especially popular, and pretty much kept to himself, but I will never forget the day when that changed. That was also the first time I recall ever seeing him actually grinning from ear to ear as he found himself the center of attention with a bunch of guys sitting around one of the outside picnic/lunch tables. Turns out that the kid who was arguably one of the most popular, biggest, good looking and muscular jocks among us 7th grade guys -- Corey Reddick (anyone remember him?) -- had somehow entered into an arm wrestling contest with a bunch of the guys. Evidently someone had started the bright idea that we should determine if we could find anyone who could beat him. Everyone he wrestled met the same fate - Corey trounced them all. But somewhere in this process, someone jokingly thought to ask Dave to give it a try. Dave shrugged and agreed, even though he was much smaller than Corey, and it didn't look like it was going to be a fair match at all. We all expected another easy pin for Corey. But the joke was on us.I will never forget watching Corey's face turn beet red (couldn't tell if it was from embarassment or effort - but probably both...) as Dave again and again easily dispatched Corey with seemingly little effort, in 3-4 seconds. It was no contest at all. Everyone was just amazed that this little kid could so easily pin Corey every single time. Corey had these huge biceps, much longer arms -- in comparison, David didn't seem to have very much meat on his arms at all, so those of us who observed this event were pretty amazed. I think we all learned something that day -- that things are not always as they appear to be. And Dave gained some long-lasting respect as a result. It's a guy thing...
Also, about that same timeframe, Dave showed up at school one day and gave our class a presentation I've never forgotten. I don't know if it was for a report he had to do, or if he just wanted to share his Jewish heritage with us. It was my first exposure to Jewish traditional practices of any kind. He came all dressed up in traditional Jewish attire (complete with white prayer shawl and "kippah", or skull cap), explained to us what the Torah was, and treated us all to some sort of Jewish religious ritual (don't recall which one...), with singing and chanting in Hebrew. It was an eye-opening and unforgettable episode for me, since I was exploring who God was at that time.
I was impressed, and always recalled those two events with fondness whenever I thought of him. On top of it all, I always knew him as a great kid, well into high school. Thanks for the great memories Dave.
Michael D. Calkins
David was a good friend in Middle School and through High School. I remember his up beat humor and big smile everytime I needed a lift.
I just found this site and wanted to catch up with David, and found out about his passing just now. I know that God has him singing his prayers on a regular basis. God Bless You David. I hope you were able to be a Cantor.
I'll have to come back ad add more.
Deborah M. Long (Carpenter)
I'm not one to read the obituaries however there is a certain connectedness with one's classmates (at whatever age) and so I have been perusing SCHS lost classmates and discovered sadly, Dave.
I first met Dave at Central School, we had the same teachers often. He was quiet, gentle, smart, unassuming, summed up... a gentleman. And Kevin, yes I do remember Corey Reddick, the tall, physically mature (could be because he was older than the rest of us y'know), arrogant, schmoozer of the girls with his following of wanna-be's and it doesn't surprise me that they would pick on Dave. Dave was a target by a lot of kids, anyone recall the day Pat Kellogg ( anyone remember HER?) 'called out' Dave Serbin for a playground fight? Big crowd, circled around them with Pat who was much taller and larger stature than David, and she insulted him by both 'calling him out' and then getting on her knees to fight him. I was there trying to stop the entire circus, and what I noticed and will never forget is the look on Dave's face, his embarrassment I believe that he had to make a decision to fight a girl when I'm sure he knew it was wrong, but how could he decline and save face? I remember the struggle on his face and my heart broke for him. I was finally able to talk Pat out of her stupidity, but not before acted out some preliminary fight techniques. I always thought Dave was uncomfortable with the decision he felt he had to make, and I respected his struggle, even if the decision was misguided. I believe him to have always been an honerable man and I'm sorry to hear that his life was so short.
The Lord bless you and keep you, Dave. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26