David Jon Struck

David was the sweetest, kindest, gentlest person. It took a lot for him to get angry. Mostly, he liked kidding around. My brother was a good person. Kind to others. He cared for his sisters, his nieces, his brother in laws, his friends, and his co-workers. He cared for the stranger. He was interested in the plight of other people. David often said to me, “that could be me.” He didn’t have much, but he gave to others whenever he could. After moving to Gaithersburg, he got to know a homeless man he met outside the grocery store and gave him a coat to keep him warm. That was my brother.

David attended Trade School after High School to become a Machinist. Early on in his working life he went into Quality Assurance in the Medical Device area, working for a variety of companies. Some of them I recognize: Ciba Geigy, Johnson and Johnson, and a lot of startups in the Silicon Valley. He married Gale and lived in the Bay Area for 30 years. When the Great Recession hit, David lost his job and his marriage. Still he persevered. He found temporary work wherever he could.

While that was happening, I moved our mother to Maryland in 2012 to care for her and he moved to Maryland 6 months after that. He found employment at MSD where he found satisfaction, fulfillment, and appreciation.

David was the one our mother responded to as her dementia worsened. Those of us of a certain age may remember The Smothers Brothers and the Mom-Always-Loved-You Best routine that they performed. David and I played at that kidding each other that the other was the favorite. He insisted I was the favorite. That Who are you kidding? That was not true. Hands down. He was her favorite.

You may have gotten the hint about how our interactions would go. David had a wicked sense of humor. Two weeks before he died, he called me on the phone. He said he was on vacation. I asked, “where are you” and he said, “Belize.” “Really? What’s it like?” And he continued telling me things about Belize and then laughed and said, “No. I’m home.” The three of us, David, Sharon and I, talked just 4 days before his death. He was happy and looking forward to more calls.

I am forever grateful for the Sunday afternoons we spent together traveling to our mother’s facility, the three of us together, and then driving back to his place. He would say, when he got out of the car, “Love you.” And I would say, “Love you back.” I wish you were here to hear me say this: I love you David, you are the best brother anyone could ever have.

David is survived by his sisters, Miriam Struck and Sharon Schuman, his brothers-in-law, Scott Schneider and Peter Schuman, and nieces, Jessica Schneider, Hannah Schneider, Nicole Brown and Emma Schuman.

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