David Stewart Maltby

David was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 4, 1942 to Stewart W. and Doris (Sperlich) Maltby, and moved to Greenville with his family in 1952.

David had a talent for electronics from an early age - in high school, he and a friend built a rocket that went so high they received a visit from the local authorities, and his parents paid him to modify his sister's stereo so that the speakers were disabled, installing a headphone jack instead. After graduating from Clemson University with a degree in electrical engineering, David served in the Navy aboard the USS Harry E. Yarnell, which primarily operated in the Mediterranean during the Vietnam war. He was the ship's Radar Operator, and often served as Shore Patrol while in port since he was not a drinker. After the Navy, David pursued engineering in the private sector, eventually landing at Michelin, where he had a career of 31 years. David designed many of the conveyor and computer vision systems still in use at Michelin and helped pioneer the use of robotic arms in the manufacturing process. David's technical knowledge was also applied at home - one favorite story is how he repaired a grandfather clock. It was a task that normally would have required a trained clock repairer, but his natural ability to understand how things worked allowed him to figure it out. He sat quietly studying it and then cautiously, but purposefully used a tiny screwdriver to recalibrate one thing and it worked. David was a man of few words, but beneath it all was a sharp mind.

David loved music, playing the piano, clarinet, and concertina. He also loved animals, always having dogs and cats, and in his retirement, participating in Rally with his much-loved poodle Trucker. The household also included a parrot, and over the course of several years, three rescue squirrels. David also fostered his sons' love of Disney, with regular visits to Walt Disney World. David was so enamored with animatronics that he built several of his own. David and his beloved wife Ann were active at their church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, and the Christian Science Reading Room in downtown Greenville, where they volunteered many hours of their time.

David was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of two sons, Barbara Elaine McGill Maltby, and by his sister Mari Margret. His second wife, Onita "Ann" Deaton, passed away a few days after David. David is survived by his sons, David (Regula Egli) Maltby, Jr. and Steven (Angie) Maltby; stepsons, Martin (Irina Kulavski) Maag and Stephen (Ashly) Maag; grandchildren Abigail and Gabriel Maltby, and step-grandchildren Andy, Ava, Sophia, Zachary (Shelby), and Hawkins Maag.

A memorial service for David and his wife, Ann, will be held Saturday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Mackey Funerals at 311 Century Drive in Greenville, South Carolina. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to any animal rescue organization or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mackeycenturydrive.com for the Maltby family.