His name was David.  It means Beloved, because that was exactly what he was. Very much loved.  From the time he was in the womb suffering fetal distress until the time he left this world at the age of 44, he was resilient, a fighter who battled not only the everyday adversities that life can bring, but ADHD as well.  He was a hero surrounded by a cacophony of overstimulated senses, who still managed to navigate successfully through life.  

     David graduated from Ursinus College with degrees in History and Communications. After a small stint in sales, he went on to receive an MA in education from Hofstra University.  He began teaching as well as coaching, forming a special place in his heart for students who, for various reasons, had trouble in school.  

     Although he loved his students, David’s restless personality was not comfortable being confined by schedules and restrictions.  He left teaching and became part of the sales team at The Disney Vacation Club, enthused about providing families the opportunity to make wonderful memories. But Florida was far from New York and David, missing family and friends,  came home where he took a  position as a project manager specializing  in client satisfaction. 

     Outside of work, David had a deep respect for history and its artifacts.  Yet his mind leapt at the promise of tomorrow, and all of the possibilities the future could bring.  He had as much interest in learning about the past, particularly the history of aviation,  as he did in NASA and the Space Program. He could discuss the manufacture and outstanding features of airplanes, both historical and modern, with as much depth as he could NASA’s Artemis Program and its plans for space travel.  And so he was as excited about riding in a B-29 with his Dad at an air show, as he was about trying to catch a launch at Kennedy Space Center.  

     David’s intellect was exceptionally keen.  He could do all sorts of mathematics and probability statistics very quickly without the aid of pencil and paper.  That same intellect enabled him to exhibit exceptional knowledge on so many topics, always having little known yet interesting facts to add to the conversation.  That same expansive mind provided him with a keen, quick wit, and an engaging sense of humor that brought laughter and pleasure into the lives of many. 

     Besides intellectual pursuits, like a Renaissance Man, David was artistic and produced some wonderful paintings and a video, with the help of friends,  to celebrate his Dad’s life on the first anniversary of his father’s death.  

     His interests were varied, and included numismatics and collecting sports cards.  But of all the things to which he devoted his time, Baseball, especially the NY Mets, was a big part of his life.  Not only did he relish going to games, but he believed that the shared experience of Baseball provided a special opportunity for children and parents to form the basis for as deep and abiding a bond as he enjoyed with his own father as a result of attending games and following the sport together.   He truly loved Baseball and the people and the good friends he met as a result of being an avid  enthusiast.  

     But education, profession, intellectual pursuits and hobbies do not define a man.  What is most central to his true essence is his character.  And in that regard, David was, again, exceptional.  He had a smile crafted of sunshine that could light up a room, and a magnetic personality that was larger than life. 

     He looked for joy  in daily situations and was capable of finding happiness and delight, for himself and for others, in even the smallest elements of existence.  He tried to ignore negativity and concentrate on what was good and bright in the world, a trait that often drew others to him. 

    Like any individual, he could be gruff, though this was more the result of sensitivity than insensitivity.  Those who reached out to the family after David’s passing stressed again and again his kindness.  For a giant of a man, he possessed the kindest and softest of hearts as concerns those who are most vulnerable, especially children and animals. As a result, he contributed to children’s hospitals and animal sanctuaries.   A prime example of his kind heart manifested itself during the COVID epidemic when he gave up fishing, a sport he had always loved, because he said he could no longer bring himself to take any life in a world that was so rife with death.  But the ultimate example of his kindness was his registration as an organ donor.  Organs  harvested after his death will go on to bring life to others in need of help.  And in that sense, David will live on.  

     Although he was not the most powerful and richest of people, he had an inordinate ability to positively impact others.  And for that reason, David Peter Yansick was the most successful of men.

     David is survived by his mother, Susan, his brother, Christopher, his sister-in-law, Amanda, his niece, Lexi, his dog Tugger, aunts, uncle, cousins,  and an army of friends. He will be sorely missed