David Lee Davidson Obituary (2023)

David Lee Davidson, 63, passed away on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. Dave was born on November 15, 1959, in Seattle, Washington, to Harold and Katherine (Kay) Davidson. He was the second of five children, with older brother, Tom, and younger siblings, Mike, Donna, and Tim. He also had two half siblings, Tara, and Terri, from his fathers second marriage to Sheila Davidson. He was married to his wife, Elizabeth "Liz" Davidson, for 43 years, and together they had two children, Zachary (Ruth) Davidson and Deborah (David) Schuler. They also had four grandchildren, Evan, Alexzander, Aidan, and Xzavier, to whom Dave was a doting and devoted Grampy. Dave attended kindergarten through high school in Yakima, Washinton, and when he was a young adult the family moved to the west side, living in Marysville, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Mountain Lake Terrace. It was in Western Washington that he met the love of life, Liz, and they married in Seattle on January 12, 1980. Dave loved life. His adventures included skiing, ice climbing, rock climbing, and exploring nature. He later discovered paragliding and became addicted to climbing up hills just so he could jump off them. Later, he learned about powered parachutes, which is like paragliding without having to walk up the hill first, and that suited Dave wonderfully. Sharing these passions with his family brought him great joy over the years. Dave was always about living life to the fullest, and he never met an adventure he didnt take head on. As a child, he was always there for his siblings, and there was a kindness about him that was immediately noticed by all. Also noticeable was stubbornness, and a strong desire to be his own man. He wanted to be his own boss, call his own shots, and answer to no one, which is what he did his entire professional life. Dave had his own lawncare, landscaping, and janitorial business, which he operated with the help of his wife and children for decades. He had many customers over the course of his career who loved and respected him. Dave considered many of his clientele to be more than just customers, but family. Zach and Debbie recall fond memories of helping their parents with the business, most especially cleaning the Jade Tree restaurant together. Dave and his son, Zach, worked hard at the landscaping business together for several years, which both looked back on with fond memories. In December 2014, he suffered and nearly died of an aortic dissection, which cut his self-made business short. He spent several weeks at the University of Washington Medical Center, where he had to take a good look at his life and how he was going to spend the rest of it. Knowing his first grandchild was coming the very next summer, he resolved to devote himself to his family. Of all these accomplishments, the one he was most proud of was becoming a Grampy. Some of his most precious moments in the last few years were spending time with his grandsons. They had their own games, jokes, and pastimes that were especially fun for those four boys. Dave is preceded in death by his father, Harold, his brother, Mike, and his son, Zachary. The death of his son just this last March broke Daves heart, and he was never able to fully recover. He was so devastated by Zachs death, and that absence was just overwhelming for him. A Celebration of Daves Life will be held on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at the Washington Ave Event Center (2807 W. Washington Ave, Yakima WA 98908) at 11:30am, with a luncheon to follow. Anyone who would like to bring something to share is welcome. Brookside Funeral Home is caring for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com. Celebration of Life Washington Avenue Event Center Sunday, September 10, 2023 11:30 AM 2807 W. Washington Ave Yakima, WA 98908 Luncheon to follow.