David is a retired (2006) university chemistry professor and administrator. His wife, Barbara, is a retired (2006) university environmental health and safety director.  They are members of the Escapees RV Club Full-timing Graduating Class of 2006. They travel the U.S. and Canada with their spoiled cat Shadow [RIP, 2014] in a 36’ Alpine Coach motorhome and a Subaru [January 2019 - now a 2018 Ford C-Max Hybrid] tow car. 

Dave met Barb in a chemistry lab at Western Washington State College (now University) in and they were married in September, 1966.   After attending graduate school at Miami University (Ohio) and completing is doctorate (PhD) in Chemistry at Arizona State University (1974), they moved to Dallas, Texas.   Dave was a Welsh Postdoctoral Fellow in the Biochemistry Department at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Barb was an administrative assistant in the Department of Neurology.  In April, 1976, their daughter Megan was born!

Dave served as a Chemistry faculty member at The University of Akron (Ohio) from 1978-82.  Barb finished her undergraduate degree in Education (chemistry) during that time.  They then moved to Michigan. They lived in Grand Blanc, near Flint, for thirteen years (1983-96).  Dave served as both a chemistry faculty member and department chair at The University of Michigan-Flint.  Barb completed a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (specialization in Hazardous Waste Management) at Wayne State University in Detroit before becoming the Director of Environmental Health and Safety and a Chemistry faculty member at GMI Engineering and Management Institute (now Kettering University) in Flint. 

In 1996 they moved to Lawton, Oklahoma where they lived for five years.  Dave served as the Dean of the School of Science and Technology at Cameron University and Barb worked for an environmental consulting firm.  Megan earned both her B.S. and M.S. degrees at Cameron University in Education (special education) as well.  She is a special education teacher in the Birdwell TX independent school district. While in college Megan met and ultimately married Kenneth Drake.  Kenneth earned his B.S. in Chemistry at Cameron University and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington.  He is now a tenured faculty member in the Tarrant County Community College system.

Dave and Barb moved to Tyler, Texas in 2001 and both were employed by The University of Texas at Tyler, Dave serving as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chemistry faculty member, and Barb serving as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety.  Dave retired on June 1, 2006 and Barb retired June 16, 2006 - and they IMMEDIATELY embarked on their fulltime journey.