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In Memoriam
I sometimes hold it half a sin
To put in words the grief I feel;
For words, like Nature, half reveal
And half conceal the Soul within.
Alfred Lord TenIn Memoriam Alfred Lord Tennyson

We were saddened to learn of the death of our classmate, David Usher in a tragic boat accident on Long Island Sound on March 15, 1997.

Dave is survived by four children, Elizabeth, Scott, Kim and Chris, and many grandchildren.

We extend to them our heartfelt condolences.

Classmates wishing to append personal statements and recollections to Dave's obituary, send an e-mail to David Smith, Co-Webmaster, by clicking here.

DAVID PRESTON USHER, 1347 High Bridge, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Cuyahoga Falls High School; SOCIOLOGY;Phi Gamma Delta;Green Key; Football 1,2,3,4; Lacrosse 1,2,3; D.O.C. 1;Army ROTC 1; PLC Marine 2,3,4

Entry for our 25th Reunion Book:

Art Publisher, Greenwich Village Workshop, Trumbull, CT 06611 Interests: Deep sea fishing, skiing, art collecting
1962 -- Our class at Dartmouth graduates; we ll set out from Hanover to tackle the most challenging years of our lives and we come as close to nuclear holocaust as we would ever fear [Cuban Missile Crisis]. With that behind us, careere, families, Viet Nam -- and all that went with it -- went streaming by.

As I sit back in reflection, I look on the class of '62 as a bit of an ugly duckling. We obviously had our share of leaders, academics and athletes. However, we never really stood out in our undergraduate days. Since that time I've become increasingly impressed with the caliber and achievements of the individuals, the camaraderie and team effort of the class as a whole. I think the tally-keeper for vox clamantis in deserto will chalk us up as one of the great ones and I'm proud to be a part of it.
For the record: Family -- re-married -- wife Sharon from Montreal, Quebec. Daughter Elizabeth -- a nurse at San Diego Children's Hospital, CA. Son Scott -- graduate of St. Lawrence and currently touring Australia. Son Chris -- attending Bridgton Academy in Maine.Daughter Kim -- attending Roger Ludlow High School in Fairfield, CT.

EULOGY

By John Walters

Dave Usher, one of the more memorable members of the Dartmouth Class of 1962, was born December 7, 1939 and left us suddenly March 15, 1997 in a tragic boating accident on Long Island Sound.

Raised as an only child in Ohio, Dave came to Dartmouth after Bob Blackman out-recruited Woody Hayes and Ohio State. An outstanding two-way end for the Big Green football team, Dave also took up lacrosse and became a ferocious All-Ivy defenseman with a knack for inciting bench-clearing brawls at the hint of a perceived insult. A Sociology major with a seemingly incongruous passion for art, Dave spent a lot of time road-tripping with his Phi Gamma Delta fraternity brothers until Gail Russell stole his heart during his junior year. Their 1961 wedding produced what may have been the first ’62 child born post-graduation: Elizabeth arrived in mid-June, followed by Scott, Kim and Chris.

Prior to his domestication, Dave was a frequent visitor to the Dean’s Office in Parkhurst. His escapades culminated in a classic note penned by Dean Thaddeus Seymour, found stapled to the inside cover of Dave’s Book of Lies, a bawdy and somewhat obscene log of events he kept during his junior year living off-campus with some of his enlightened fraternity brothers. His son Scott presented the Book to John Walters, a lacrosse teammate of Dave’s and Godfather of his daughter Liz, after Dave’s tragic accident, believing it should be retained by the Class. Thad wrote:

Dear Dave:

A few days have gone by now without your name on a police report, so I can only assume that you have been out of town. Ever since your fight in the fraternity house last fall, I have had a growing apprehension about your instinct to get into trouble. I hope you will make an appointment to see me and to discuss such matters.

Sincerely yours,
Thaddeus Seymour January 17, 1961

Dave cherished that letter.

Following graduation, Dave turned his energies to a four-year tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps, serving in Vietnam as a company commander. Despite receiving decorations for valor during his tour of service, Dave recoiled at the realities of combat he discovered, and his letters home portrayed a man who came to appreciate the sanctity of life, a man who gained composure under pressure and who developed an ability to define what truly was a problem and what obviously was not. Dave quickly learned the importance of surrounding yourself with people who are better at what they do than you, a lesson which later served him well in business. As Dave observed: “You don’t need to know how to operate the artillery. All you need to know is how to call it in.”

Having risen to the rank of captain, Dave resigned his commission to accept a sales position with Domtar Pulp and Paper, a leading Canadian paper company. While working for Domtar in New York City, Dave attended Columbia’s Graduate School of Business Administration. An MBA project calling for the creation of a business plan for a hypothetical start-up company rekindled Dave’s interest in art. He developed the concept of a limited-edition art print company, which subsequently resulted in the founding of The Greenwich Workshop, a leader in the art publishing business. Dave commissioned a painting of the Dartmouth Green entitled “Carnival Capers” for our 20th Reunion, prints of which were signed by noted artist Charles Wysocki and President David McLaughlin and hang on the wall of several classmates.

Due to his corporate philosophy of quality, innovation and service, Dave was widely regarded as a leader in the art publishing business. He was an avid sport fisherman, tracking salt water shark, marlin and other game fish. While he traveled extensively on business, Dave also made numerous trips that took him on safari in Africa, bungee jumping in Australia, exploring the Alaskan wilderness and backpacking into remote sections of U.S. national parks.

Dave was one of a kind, uniquely molded by his experiences as a Dartmouth ‘62.