David was my oldest cousin and one that we all looked up to as children. He was smart and like a leader for us when he would visit our grandparents with his younger brother, Leonard Wayne, and two younger sisters, Frances Ann and Sarah Ann. How much fun we had when our cousins from Texas would also join us at our grandparents for a summer vacation or holiday visit.!
We lived in a small Southern town in Louisiana which was a typical reflection of Americana, very much like Maryberry, Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Opee, and the entire cast and character of the Andy Griffith Show. What great times we had in those days.
One of my lasting memories of David and Wayne was how they liked to bring us smaller children to the evening double-feature at the local movie theatre, about five blocks from home. The boys always wanted to see the horror movies of the day! As we would safely return home at night, David and Wayne would wait until we got to the darkest area of the walk - caused by the thick crepe myrtle trees along the sidewalk. They would scare us by running ahead and jumping out of the bushes. It would cause us little ones to scream like murder and run all the way home, out of breath, trying to tell the adults what happened. Just a lasting memory of childhood..........
David was a gifted scholar who achieved Master and Doctorate degrees from Arkansas and Purdue universities. The family was so proud of him. In my own studies, I used to remember him as an encouragement most often. Through the years he distinguished himself as a respected professor, research analyst, and international consultor and lecturer. He was equally a wonderful husband to his devoted wife,Pam. I assure her of my kind thoughts and prayers at this time.
Please know that I will offer personal prayers for David and the entire family in the days and months to come. God bless you all, Fr. Scott Chemino, JD, JCL .
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