At the age of 17, David returned to the United States to finish school in Florida and later attended college majoring in Liberal Arts until January of 1965 when he joined the United States Navy serving three years as an aircraft engine mechanic helper on the USS Wasp (CVS 18). After being honorably discharged from the Navy, David began working at a carpet mill as an engineer.

On November 27, 1970 he married Joanne A. James in West Covina, California becoming an instant and welcoming father to five children, a task he did not take lightly; sacrificing and providing for and treating each one as his own.

David worked for Wonder Bread Bakery as a machinist until retiring in 2004. He and his wife Joanne relocated to Lawton to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

David's hobbies included swap meets, yard and estate sales, fishing at the refuge, tinkering with old clocks, Volkswagen Beetles, and being a member of RC Boat Clubs in California. Being a creative and industrious person, David could fix anything he got his hands on.

David is survived by his wife of 49 years, children, Denise Laurel and spouse Harold Hanson, Penny Hunt and spouse David, Kenneth Clark, Patrick Clark and spouse Margaret Segovia, and Lenore Brill, grandchildren, Chandra Lucksted, David Brill, Emily Tucker, Nathan Laurel, Angela Secrest, Isabel Perez, Samuel Perez, Kenneth Clark, II, Enrique Perez, Charles Flanders, James Perez, Michael Clark, Breanna Clark, and Patrick Clark, II along with their spouses and children. David has 27 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a great grandchild, Makayla Brill.