Robert David

Robert David, a longtime New York advertising and marketing executive, passed away peacefully on the morning of August 6 at age 95. The beloved father of Daniel and Joshua (Debora Antscherl), grandfather of Andrew, Jesse, Claire, and Isaac, he was a devoted family man who embraced numerous charitable causes. He was preceded in death by Betty, his wife of 55 years.

Born in Baltimore on June 16, 1927, Bob served in the U.S. Navy before entering the University of Virginia and later earning an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1951. After a brief stint with his family's paint and wallpaper wholesale company, he moved to New York and landed his first advertising-agency job at McCann Erickson in 1953.

Joining Erwin Wasey, Ruthrauff & Ryan in 1958, he took over the Consolidated Cigar account and convinced Consolidated to increase TV advertising of its Dutch Masters brand. He then engineered a 1959 deal to make his client the presenting sponsor of comedian Ernie Kovacs' "Take a Good Look" show and comedy specials for which Kovacs wrote and performed what became classic Dutch Masters spots.

In 1962, Consolidated followed Bob to a new job at Papert, Koenig, Lois, Inc., and remained with him as the flagship account of his own successful agency -- David, Oksner & Mitchneck -- which he oversaw from 1967 to 1981. Other clients included Avis Car Rental's leasing division, Pirelli Tire North America, Johnson & Higgins, and Restaurant Associates.

Leaving agency life in 1986, Bob turned to the non-profit sector, assisting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society with marketing for several years and serving as president of Friends of Bezalel -- the U.S. fundraising arm for Israel's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.

Bob loved travel, particularly his many returns to Paris, where he spent one year as a college student. He also cherished a 1995 experience living in Lithuania as a volunteer consultant to entrepreneurs of the post-Soviet era.

His generosity, humor, dedication to family and friends, and overall zest for life will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at Riverside Memorial Chapel on August 11 at 4 p.m. Burial will take place at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in East Hampton, NY, on August 12 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests support for Lighthouse Guild. (WEBSITE LINK: https://lighthouseguild.org/)