David Winn 4/11/2022
Dave passed away peacefully with family by his side, after the past year of declining health.
Dave touched thousands of lives, as a Track and Cross Country coach at the University of Rochester, teacher at Martha Brown Middle School and a St Bonaventure alumnus. He made deep connections with many friends from Martha Brown Middle School, U of R, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Community Bible Study, Fairport Little League, broadcasting Fairport basketball games on FACT 12, Tuesday night summer track series, and the Rochester running community. Friends from these organizations, near and far, reached out recently, with fond memories of Dave, using many words to describe his character… passionate, dedicated, courageous, kind, supportive, mentor, story teller, cheerful, enthusiastic, gracious, gregarious, fierce competitor, eternal optimist, loving partner and father.
A lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates and devoted St. Bonaventure basketball fan, Dave brought unending enthusiasm to everything he did.
After a 30 year career as a Fairport school teacher (his coaching was a side job), Dave retired to follow his true passion and greatest joy, being a stay at home dad. He nurtured Brian and Kevin, and being married to Patti for 35 years, he supported her through her 31 year teaching career, then pursuing her BSRN and years working as a nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Dave had lasting friendships from his St. Bonaventure Days. He worked at the radio station, WOFM with Colin Campbell and the late Jack Garner. While working at the radio station, Dave chaired the Merry Christmas Melody for two years to raise funds for a local Olean Charity. Michael Sette was a life long friend from his dorm. One of Dave’s favorite stories was that he roomed with Bob Lanier as a graduate student to be a positive influence on Bob during his freshman year.
In addition to being a teacher and a national level Master’s runner, he had great memories from coaching. At U of R, as the assistant coach to Tim Hale, the two made a great team and had tremendous success coaching, but more importantly helping boys become disciplined and responsible men. Dave also truly enjoyed coaching CATS, a local running club, helping adult runners to achieve higher goals with the support of others pushing through workouts. The athletes
competed in road races and the Empire State games. Dave also coached the Fairport Varsity track team and the Martha Brown modified cross-country and track and field team with Charlie Lowe. Helping middle school athletes to learn the sport and later become top level varsity athletes brought him great joy.
For several years he announced Fairport basketball games with Dave Patterson and later John Englert as color commentators. He spent endless hours going through the newspaper for stats for the Fairport team and their opponents to be well prepared to announce the games. Coach Jeff Fitch appreciated getting the stats for each of the games.
Finally, Dave coached Brian’s Little League teams with Pete Owen and their crowning achievement was winning the International Championship game. Dave worked at Frozen Ropes baseball facility to barter lessons for Brian. There he became good friends with the late John Scarpelli who shared Dave’s enthusiasm for the game. His friendship from coaching with Pete continued to sharing St. Bonaventure basketball season tickets. Car rides to and from Olean created a wonderful bond.
Most recently, Dave was heartbroken by the untimely death of their son, Kevin in 2020.
Dave will be dearly missed by all of the people he touched, and by his beloved wife and best friend, Patti, and their son Brian.
Some of Dave’s favorite quotes were:
“I’d rather go on the ride, experience the ups and downs a few times, than to not have the stuff to go on the ride at all”. – Andy Van Slyke (1992)
“Running to him was real, the way he did it was the realist thing he knew. It was all joy and woe, hard as diamond; it made him weary beyond comprehension. But it also made him free”. excerpt from Once a Runner, p 104
“I am a small point in the eye of the full moon. I need only one ray of the sun to warm my face. I need only one breeze from the Alisios to refresh my soul. What else can I ask if I know that my sons really love me?” – Roberto Clemente
Calling Hours will be Sunday April 24th from 6-8 pm. at Keenan’s Funeral Home, 7501 Pittsford Palmyra Road, Fairport. A Memorial Service will be held Monday April 25th, 11:00 am. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 77 Country Corner Lane in Fairport.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to:
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church:
https://www.stlukesfairport.org (select give at bottom of page) or
St. Bonaventure basketball athletic fund (BAF) (please select BAF, give now, and Men’s basketball)
https://gobonnies.com/sports/bonniesathleticfund
Please write an additional note “in memory of Dave Winn” for either site.
Comments
10 responses to “Winn, David B.”
I met Dave in the late 60’s when his summer track team, the Bradford Striders and my team the Oatka Striders competed in the Buffalo summer track series. Both being small teams named Striders we connected. Over the years we competed in relays at Alfred University as a combined team. The Bradford Striders even traveled to Warsaw for a dual meet. . Both being involved in track Dave and I crossed paths many times over the past 50 plus years. The last few years we had the opportunity to work together at track meets. During breaks we talked about the old days and the good times our Strider teams and Dave and I had together. I will miss him.
Dave will always be remembered as the true professional, the true competitor, the true gentleman.
In the glory days of Greater Rochester Track Club and CATS AC, he was the runner we all looked up to.
Dave coached me to quite a few personal best times and victories, including winning the 5,000 at
the Empire State Games. I will always remember how he never let us leave practice without finishing
with a few 200’s. That was his mantra “always do a little more.”
Thanks, Dave, for being such a positive role model.
Jim May
Dave was a passionate and enthusiastic teacher. I still remember his teaching style vividly. He will be missed!
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.I started school with David in Jamestown many years ago..God Bless!
My deepest sympathy to Patti and Brian. I have lived next door to Dave and his family since they moved into the neighborhood years ago, and I want to add to the heartfelt words of his family and friends the fact that he was a wonderful neighbor. When outside, it was most usual to see Dave puttering about his yard, often riding his lawn tractor, and he would always stop and chat, usually about his son’s Little League games or his beloved Pittsburgh Pirates. Soft-spoken and friendly, Dave was the epitome of a “nice guy” and “good neighbor.” I will miss him immensely.
My sincere and deepest sympathy to Patti and Brian. It’s been such a blessing to have you folks back to St. Luke’s for Sunday services…albeit much to short of a return for Dave. Certainly, there is no doubt how much your church family is missing Dave’s presence. He was such a nice person. RIP Dave God bless you.
Dave came into my life when we were juniors at Bradford High School and we quickly became best friends. We shared that friendship through graduation until college and life took us in different directions. But no matter how many miles separated us, whenever I needed to call on his help, he was there for me. I was truly blessed to have had his friendship. Miss you buddy.
Patty,
I am sending my most comforting wishes to you. We are so sorry for your loss and thinking of you!
Kirsten
Patti, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I was on vacation last week, so I apologize for not attending the service. We all miss you and send prayers your way.
A life well lived. Integrity, sacrifice, community minded. Personally, the boys and the coaching are close to my heart.