As his twin, I am honored to say that David was always fun and thoughtful.
As small children, of course we shared every birthday for many years. We taught one another to skate on the sidewalk in front of our home, and played "Cops and robbers" and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans inside the house on rainy days. He loved Christmas...and insisted our family decorate the tree together each year, which often turned into a fun icicle fight :-)
During our junior high and high school years, he loved playing baseball, basketball and football in the front yard, along with neighbors Hugh Smith, Leon Slodov, Ken Wilkinson, Bob Miller, Jack McKenzie, Eddie Lyons and sometimes Pat and Danny Lyons. Occasionally they needed some sisters to play, so Gayle Slodov and Ruthie Wilkinson, my sister, Carole, and I got to beat them! When the street lights came on, everyone had to go home, remember those days?
Our family was pleased that he enjoyed Boy Scouts and proud that he earned his Eagle Scout badge. We were also excited that his classmates voted him Most Handsome our senior year. That yearbook picture is how I remember him, as is his Senior Wildcats football picture, because he is smiling! He looks mean in his senior picture, which he was not!
During his Freshman year at Delta State, David attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes conference and came home with an even greater seriousness about his faith in Christ. He was a great role model for me, and on occasion, gently corrected me. He was part of the reason I began wondering about my faith. During our sophomore year at DSU, our family got the devastating phone call that he had drowned. (Still unbelievable!) Our family struggled through his memorial (thank you for all who attended and prayed for us!). That first year, especially Christmas, was so long and painful without him.
That pain prompted me to question eternal issues and two years later, after some counsel and Bible teaching, I understood my own need for personal salvation and became a Christian too. Even though I miss him, especially on my wedding day, births of our two children, our four grandchildren, and the holidays, I'm confident (even excited) to think we will see him again in Heaven. Until then, it is fun and comforting that our grandson, Chase Rochelle (who is almost 12) is so much like David, in so many ways.
Thanks to any who read all this....didn't intend for it to be so long!!!
First, I want to thank Daty for those touching and oh-so-true recollections of David. I'll never forget attending the fraternity swap at State where the Reets were playing, and Alston told me the tragic news about David. I always considered him one of my best and most admired friends, and he was so real and alive that it's still hard for me to think of him in any other way. Just know there's definitely a special place in heaven for such a fine guy.
Daty Sanders (Rochelle)
As his twin, I am honored to say that David was always fun and thoughtful.
As small children, of course we shared every birthday for many years. We taught one another to skate on the sidewalk in front of our home, and played "Cops and robbers" and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans inside the house on rainy days. He loved Christmas...and insisted our family decorate the tree together each year, which often turned into a fun icicle fight :-)
During our junior high and high school years, he loved playing baseball, basketball and football in the front yard, along with neighbors Hugh Smith, Leon Slodov, Ken Wilkinson, Bob Miller, Jack McKenzie, Eddie Lyons and sometimes Pat and Danny Lyons. Occasionally they needed some sisters to play, so Gayle Slodov and Ruthie Wilkinson, my sister, Carole, and I got to beat them! When the street lights came on, everyone had to go home, remember those days?
Our family was pleased that he enjoyed Boy Scouts and proud that he earned his Eagle Scout badge. We were also excited that his classmates voted him Most Handsome our senior year. That yearbook picture is how I remember him, as is his Senior Wildcats football picture, because he is smiling! He looks mean in his senior picture, which he was not!
During his Freshman year at Delta State, David attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes conference and came home with an even greater seriousness about his faith in Christ. He was a great role model for me, and on occasion, gently corrected me. He was part of the reason I began wondering about my faith. During our sophomore year at DSU, our family got the devastating phone call that he had drowned. (Still unbelievable!) Our family struggled through his memorial (thank you for all who attended and prayed for us!). That first year, especially Christmas, was so long and painful without him.
That pain prompted me to question eternal issues and two years later, after some counsel and Bible teaching, I understood my own need for personal salvation and became a Christian too. Even though I miss him, especially on my wedding day, births of our two children, our four grandchildren, and the holidays, I'm confident (even excited) to think we will see him again in Heaven. Until then, it is fun and comforting that our grandson, Chase Rochelle (who is almost 12) is so much like David, in so many ways.
Thanks to any who read all this....didn't intend for it to be so long!!!
Carlysle Meek
First, I want to thank Daty for those touching and oh-so-true recollections of David. I'll never forget attending the fraternity swap at State where the Reets were playing, and Alston told me the tragic news about David. I always considered him one of my best and most admired friends, and he was so real and alive that it's still hard for me to think of him in any other way. Just know there's definitely a special place in heaven for such a fine guy.