Left – David and DeDe cutting the cake on their wedding day. A post from Linda Anderson, DeDe’s mom.
They first noticed each other when she decided that she wanted to learn to Scuba dive and went to Aqua Safaris. They both caught the others eyes almost immediately but David did not mix business with pleasure….that is until DeDe came along, finished her training and became a diver. From the start their lives blended into this relationship of respect, individuality and love for life and adventures. On August 17, 1996 they were married at the Brookdale Lodge in the Santa Cruz mountains. The setting was beautiful as were the bride and groom. They were surrounded by those friends and family closest to them and their glow was never ending. They lived their entire married life in their home in Santa Cruz except for the year in Mulege while building their home there. They planned to spend a lot more time there and were looking forward to more frequent visits with the plane and flying.
Their love is almost of story book quality, both were handsome and beautiful people, both had fantastic smiles that embraced their faces especially when they looked at each other. She was his “Sweetpea” and he was her “My Love,” they were both secure in that they had chosen well, and entered into their marriage with promises to each to last a lifetime. They were both full of energy, and caring that preceded them in whatever they wanted to do. To know them was to love them which has been apparent throughout their time with us.
August 17, 2011 they would have been celebrating their 15th wedding anniversay, but their untimely and tragic deaths prevented that. I feel that this day should be celebrated by those of who attended their wedding or have shared their lives in this fifteen years. They accomplished so much in that time:
Expanding Aqua Safaris, giving birth to two extraordinary young boys Luke 13 and Ryan 10. To say that the family was the most important to them is an understatement. They were the center of their lives and the rest of the world revolved around this family. The friends that they gathered along the way, enriched them and gave them more fuel to love with a greater capacity. They were teachers in the greatest sense, and knowing them has taught us all much about living, loving, caring and sharing.
They were not much on material possessions, but gathered their treasures on their wonderful trips, whether it was to foreign countries, within the states, to the beach, or Disneyland. Some times they went just the four of them, but many times they shared with us lucky friends and family. Many people live a lifetime and never get to visit places like Egypt, Thailand, Figi, Mexico, Bonaire, Africa, Indonesia, China, Japan, Hawaii and I am sure I have left out many. What busy lives they lived and each day to the fullest. Always growing in self and their accomplishments. In the last few years while DeDe took over most of Aqua Safaris, David finished his training and opened his own Environmental/Geology business. They were both hard workers and valued their success. During all of this they accomplished so much in the birth and upbringing of Luke and Ryan. There was not much that came into their lives that they were not encouraged to take part in. It is sad that we will not be witnessing the greatness that was ahead for each of these young men.
So today, as we think of David and De De, lets celebrate on the terrific people, couple and family that we were blessed in knowing. May they be celebrating their love in a very special way and may they all know how much they are missed and how very much they are loved. I have been so proud of my daughter and David, they have shared with and taught me much for which I will always be so thankful and blessed. This story does have a happy ending as they are all together and that is how it was meant to be. Happy Anniversary my loves I can still see you both on your special wedding day! Love Mom
Thank you Linda for sharing these wonderful words of love and encouragement for us left behind. They were an amazing couple and I feel very blessed for the time I was able to spend with them. And now to have been able to get to know their families. Somehow it feels like we have all known each other longer than just 6 weeks.
We are all connected via David, DeDe, and the boys!
Cheers to them and Love & Live, I celebrate the day along with you.
Peace and love to you Linda!
~Emilia
This morning on facebook someone ask for responses for this being a National Day for bad poetry. In response and based upon the love I have in my heart I wrote the following poem and want to share it here. I hope you will enjoy it!
A Tree Of Life
A tree of live it always grows, new branches with greenery shows.
Some leaves are lost when first it snows, but we all know it continues to grow.
Each new branch it has a purpose, each new love in life will surface.
So be like the trees and continue growing, and in God’s love
keep believing and knowing.*****
The lives lost to us recently did not vanish from our tree, they just made it stronger and more beautiful. It will continue to grow and adding new branches, though sadly not from these four, which makes their branches even more precious. I am so proud to have each of them in my tree and I believe that like them it will grow through all eternity.
My love to all that read this. Mom * Nana forever
I kind of got lost in wedding prep and the wedding of Greg & Heidi — but it’s a joy to check back in at this site and see that you have remembered, most appropriately, the lives Greg & Heidi endeavor to emulate on the 15th anniversary of that marriage. I remember it well — and was just thinking of the sign in the aquarium tank — did you ever find a copy of THAT? Love you Lin.
Linda,
I am going to be up in your neck of the woods this Thursday- Sunday weekend at my sister’s in Penn Valley and at Guitarfish festival. Can you give me your email address and phone number again so I can contact you?
I hope you are keeping well and enjoying your return to Rough & Ready for the 10 days….
Caroline 831 251-4183
Love is in the Air as I sit here today remembering the celebration of the joining of David and DeDe on what would have been their 16th anniversary tomorrow. Like so many special milestones in my life that day August 17, (1996) will always remind me of a wonderful love of two of the world’s most special people. During their years together they shared so much of their special love with all that had the joy of sharing in their lives. Oh how I miss seeing their smiles, hearing their laughs and listening as they shared so much about the active lives they and Luke and Ryan lived. I have felt their spirtualness near me alot lately, and it is a warm, comforting presence that puts tears in my eyes and joy in my heart just knowing they are only gone from me in one sense and just a thought brings them so near. I will try to dance, be happily blessed, and find the closeness of their love around me on this very special day for them. I love you all, David, DeDe, Luke and Ryan and I thank you once again for all you have given me and continue to share through my memories and wonderful pictures. Thank you to all the family and friends that too are sharing this day in loving thoughts with me. Love, Linda (Mom and Nana Linda) forever.