David A. Delude
September 8, 1948 – January 4, 2018

David Delude, 69, died peacefully of pneumonia Thursday, January 4, 2018, surrounded by his loving and grieving family and friends. As a friend said, David was full of infectious rambunctiousness and seemed like a man who would go on forever: Such fun and good company, with his restless energy and his sudden staccato laugh.

David and Cathryn, his beloved wife of 39 years, moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico from their long-term home in Andover, Massachusetts in June 2016 to enjoy an active and rewarding retirement. He loved skiing, hiking, cycling, exploring the archeological ruins of the Southwest, reading history, studying physics, dancing in bars, going to concerts, museums and lectures, traveling widely, and engaging in conversation and discussion. Previously, he was an electrical engineer, a carpenter, a girls’ soccer coach, a middle school Odyssey of the Mind coach, a camp counselor and a mentor to many. He was equally serious and silly; he had a keen wit and intellect, and a gentle, kind and generous soul; and he was a family man to the core.

David was born in Wilmington, North Carolina where his father was civil engineer at Camp Lagoon. When he was entering grade school, his family of six moved to Rhode Island, where he enjoyed summer scouting camps and sailing. Early on, he acquired many practical skills while helping his father build a beach house on Narragansett Bay, which the extended family enjoys to this day. David graduated from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire with a degree in Economics and with many life-long friends. He worked several years as a carpenter foreman before earning a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Rhode Island. He became a specialist in signal processing at Avco and then Textron Defense Systems in Wilmington, Massachusetts, where he worked until his retirement.

David married Cathryn in 1978 when they lived in Providence, Rhode Island. They since lived in Boston, Watertown and Waltham, Massachusetts, before settling in Andover for 28 years prior to moving to Santa Fe.

In addition to his wife, David is survived by their adored children, Philip Delude of Barcelona, Spain and Patricia Delude of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; his siblings Paul Delude of Brooklyn, Connecticut, Carolyn Delude of Worcester, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Delude-Dix of Jamestown, Rhode Island; his nieces and nephews Kerry Delude Lieberman, Andrew Connors, Stephanie Connors Mahoney, Dermot Delude-Dix, and Michael Gene Davis; his sisters-in-law Sherri McCullough Davis and Margaret Korsu; his son-in-law Bogdan Firman; and five great nieces. He is pre-deceased by his fond brothers-in-law, Robert Connors, Eugene Davis and Peter Dix, and by his beloved parents, Albert and Elizabeth Delude.

A memorial service will be Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 3:00 pm- 4:00 pm at  West Parish Chapel; 210 Lowell Street, Andover, MA.  Reception will follow Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm at Boathouse at Greater Lawrence Community Boating; 1 Eaton Street, Lawrence, MA.

 In lieu of donations, people may donate in David’s memory to the Native American Rights Fund (https://www.narf.org/) or to the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/getinvolved/donate.htm).

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