David was a good boy and was very sweet. He probably got the itch to travel because my mom likes to travel and we toured Europe as youngsters while touring fine art museums (my mom was an artist). We’ve seen more fine art than you can shake a stick at! Anyway, here’s David, in 1976 (10 years old) getting onto a camel while we were touring Morocco. It was quite an adventure. We were driving along and saw these two Moroccans with Camels (something we hadn’t seen before). They waved us down and motioned we could ride them so we stopped. We couldn’t communicate but they threw my brother onto the back of the camel. For these that don’t know, camels are so tall that you’re supposed to get on them while they’re sitting and then they start the multi-part process of getting on their feet. Above, David gets thrown back as the camel starts to get up.
Above – A portrait of David as a boy. Not sure what year, but can you see how sweet he is?
Above – David throwing a frisbee at College V, UCSC around 1971.
Above – David playing at Roberts Mill Apartments, New Jersey in June 1969.
David also loved restoring the car that he inherited from his grandfather. He was so proud of the car when he got it running. You can see above as he stands proudly, despite the fact that there is a lot of grey primer. He eventually did save up for a paint job.
The car goes together with water polo because those are the main things he had going on in his junior year of high school. Above, you can see him as he passes the ball in a game at the Santa Cruz High School pool.
Your comments are welcome below. We actively read them and it is healing for you to add your bit.
Update 7/20/11 11pm: I went over to the house of one of David’s best friends tonight and had a great time. At the end we saw a slide show and I saw how happy my brother and his family were with some pictures I hadn’t seen. I got home and it hit me. I really miss my brother. It’s good to feel and process it, but it stings. I need to relive this stuff – part of getting better.
John and Houghton family,
I am so very sorry for the tremendous loss. I knew David back in my UCSC days as an undergraduate. David was a preceptor at Crown College the year I was an RA there. I remember David as a kind, gentle and always smiling! I hadn’t seen David in over 20 years, but I am glad I had a chance to know him.
John, thank you so much for sharing your soul with us in this forum. You have inspired me to share a bit of mine. My memories of David and DeDe are so vivid and palpable that I find myself feeling tremendous confusion. I can hear their voices so clearly in my head. I have been back to work here in Oakland and have moments of distraction, which are periodically interrupted by the realization that my world is now completely different: I can’t breathe well for a second when this happens. Perhaps that is what you mean when you say it stings.
A large part of who am was formed by my friendship with David and DeDe and our group of friends. Values, fun, future. I know I will have my fond memories forever, and for that I am grateful, but like you said, it still stings to let go of the future.
David Ghilarducci recently said, \We should plan to grow old together\, I responded, \We already have\. I had many years with your brother and his family and am very lucky.
Thinking of you and your family and publically sending my love, David
David how he will be missed! I have had the great joy of sharing life, love and lots of happiness with David, DeDe, Luke and Ryan. His wonderful smile, the genuine caring, the love he so opening shared for DeDe and the boys. He was a wonderful Son (in-law), who so graciously shared his life including me. He let me share in the lives of the boys and was always thanking me for helping out….I am ever so greatful that I was allowed all of this time with them. Our trips to Mexico, Egypt, Thailand, Tahoe, Disneyland and Disneyworld, the water parts, oh so much fun wherever and whenever we could be toghether. Even including jumping on the trampoline! David was the kind of man that every mother wanted for her daughter, and one of the greatest things about David was his ability to Love, understand and support his wife and family. The saying a Son is a Son til he takes a wife is so true. Yet David remained supportive of his mother, father, sister, brother and families and his many friends. We all have been blessed in to many ways to even count, in sharing his wonderful life. I hope that we will all continue to write about our shared times with them all. I just seem to have thoughts popping into my sleeping and awake moments. I know you will continue to take care of each other and share your love through all eternity.
Love you David forever, and will miss your sparkle and smiles and just being with you. Love, Mom Linda