WWII vet, father, and beloved “Papa Dave,” left behind a legacy of kindness, family love, and a lifelong bond with dogs that continues to inspire.
My father-in-law was one of the kindest people I have ever met. His greatest pleasure was helping others. He was known in our family for many things. He loved his wife, children and grandchildren unconditionally. Once my daughter Adina was born, he was always referred to by everyone as Papa Dave. He loved gadgets and he single-handedly kept Aco Hardware in business with the tools and other items he bought there through the years. He was proud of his city and served in the Oak Park police auxiliary for many years. Each year, we watched him drive the last police car in the annual Oak Park Fourth of July parade. He was the proud owner of Dave’s Party Snacks. And he loved, loved, loved all his dogs (a trait he passed to his two daughters)!
Dave and dog Penny, one of the many he had throughout his life.
Like most members of the Greatest Generation, Dave served in World War II … and rarely talked much about his time in Italy and North Africa. But he did share some pictures of the stray dogs he adopted in various cities where his troop was deployed. Somehow, the dogs of America had gotten the word to the dogs of the world about Dave.
When he returned from the war, he made sure that the Silverman household always had a family dog. From Rusty to Laddie to Minky to Penny to Heather, Dave always had a tender place in his heart for his special canine pals.
Dave’s life was filled with family and friends. He was a large man in more ways than one. He loved to eat! When he tasted a treat, his famous line was “That tastes like … another one.” For the first 70 years of his life, he was robust and always busy. He worked long days running his store and later as a furniture salesman. He worked seven days a week, but he stole a few hours on weekends to mow the lawn and tend his garden. He was always pleased to be Mr. Fixit for his kids and friends. But as we all know, getting older often brings medical challenges that we do not expect.
Papa Dave with grandkids Jon and Sarah.
Papa Dave began to have back problems and other medical issues that prevented him from being himself. He underwent several operations that were only of limited benefit. He was most upset by his inability to be of help to others. He also had to curtail his gardening. And his joy of joys, his dog, gradually became too much to handle.
We did not realize the extent of his medical issues until he sadly and shockingly passed away of a heart attack at age 72 on Father’s Day 1992.
A few months before he died, despite his medical limitations, Papa Dave made one last attempt to bring a dog into the family. He went to the Humane Society and came back with a Shephard mutt named Cody. When he showed up with this too-large dog, I am sure my mother-in-law almost plotzed. They took care of the dog for a few months, but after his untimely passing, it was clear my mother-in-law could not manage a large dog like Cody on her own.
I should explain at this point that my wife and I had carried on the tradition of always having a canine presence in our home. We had busy lives with three growing children and our own springer spaniel Wagner and the thought of adding an extra dog at that time was just not doable (despite pleas from our children). So, when the family sat down to discuss the options, it became clear that we needed to find a new home for Cody. After considering our choices, I was elected unanimously (I abstained) to take Cody to the Humane Society.
Dave’s last dog Cody
I got directions (no GPS back then) and parked near an austere- looking building. Oblivious to our purpose, Cody was his usual frisky self. We began the longish walk, which felt to me like a “dead man walking” to an execution. As we neared the building, Cody pulled at my leash toward a little girl sitting with her mother on a bench. The mom must have sensed my situation and asked me about my dog. She observed, “He seems like a nice friendly dog who has been well cared for.”
I explained about my father-in-law. She went on to explain that she and her daughter were about to go inside the building and ask about adopting a pet. She felt Cody was exactly the dog they were looking for.
It all seemed too good to be true. After checking with the folks in the building, we were told we were free to make our own shidduch (not their words). And so that’s just what we did. I snuggled for a moment with Cody, gave them his leash and some dog food and wished them well. The little girl was over the moon and the mom thanked me. I walked away feeling like this was bashert … meant to be.
There was no cell phone to call home or take a picture of the moment. When I got back to the house and explained what had happened, at first no one believed me. Then I insisted it was true. We all felt much better than we had expected. I earned big points with my family, especially from my mother-in-law! I wondered if my wife was still a little unsure about the veracity of my story.
Papa Dave’s legacy of his love for dogs has lived on through his daughters’ families and recently into his granddaughter’s family. And when we give each of our dogs a treat, they channel Papa Dave and look up, as if to say “Thanks, that tastes like … another one!”
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