David A. Damrell

Dave, Hard to believe it’s been a decade since you’ve departed this earth. Not a year goes by that I don’t think about a memory of you often. We had so many great adventures that ramped up when we got to South. I appreciated then and have appreciated often ever since the friendship we had. You were such a great support during my wrestling years even though you didn’t play school sports. You always cheered me on and helped me get workouts in whenever I wanted. We spent many fun hours wrestling in the Celebrity Lanes pool where I would dunk you endlessly, and we’d laugh our heads off because you were such a great sport. Laughter was your hallmark. Life was fun with you. Through all of our “cruising” in your Corvair up and down Colo Blvd and getting 15 cent hamburgers at Henry’s and then the first Micky D’s at Louisiana. Whenever I hear a Monkees song, I think of our cruising days. The trips to Russ’ Pharmacy on S. Sheridan, the visits to your house on Amherst Circle and later on Ames, always trying to catch a glimpse of beautiful Jane. Then came the many treks up and down hwy 76 to/from NJCC our freshman year. I’m not sure why you went there – you were one smart dude, whereas I was told by my counselor that I wasn’t college material ;-). We shared the same love of accounting and technology. Some of the most cherished memories, of course, are the many weekends we spent at the cabin. The parties, the freezing our buns off in the winter when the only warmth was a 10 ft semi-circle around the fireplace! Hiking, shooting 22 rifles at rabbits and never hitting anything. Racing your “souped up” 65 Corvair down the Poudre Canyon back to I-25 trying to see how fast we could do it. The stuff of parental nightmares. I’ve thought often how much you supported me going all out the summer of 68 when I lifted weights every day in the basement we shared in Greeley. You bought tons of steak that I couldn’t afford and cooked them to help me bulk up in prep for that coming wrestling season. Just the epitome of a best friend. I fondly remember the endless hours of ping pong and pool that we played through college. I’ve always regretted that we (maybe just me) let life get in the way of staying close through our post college years, probably starting with me letting you (& Dave High) being cut out of my wedding. Then Uncle Sam moved me 2000 miles away. Nonetheless, I’m glad we reconnected in the early 2000s. You still had your fantastic vinyl record collection from the 60’s on. I especially admired the fantastic father to Gary that you were. You still had that great laugh and sense of humor that was probably the thing I loved most about you. I regret that I didn’t get to say these things to you before you departed this earth and that I wasn’t by your side when you did. It’s hard to believe that you and Rusty and Jane have all joined your Mom & Dad now. I will hold out hope that our paths cross again one day. You will never be forgotten. Always and forever my Rebel brother.