David S. Harvey

David Harvey, among the most enthusiastic lovers of life one could ever meet, peacefully left this life after suffering a sudden coronary attack during a motorcycle road trip in the mountains with his best friends — one of the many outdoor activities David loved doing.

Raised in a family that loved the outdoors, David, early on, acquired a love of boats and motorcycles—passions that would stay with him throughout his life. He was an extreme enthusiast. If he was interested in something, he was all in. As well as motorcycle trail and road riding, David enjoyed flying, water skiing, fishing, scuba diving, snow skiing, and sport shooting.

David financed his outdoor passions with an outstanding career in the newspaper business that began as a young production worker with the Santa Barbara News-Press where he adroitly adapted and significantly contributed to the many technological and process advances that automated newspaper production.

When the New York Times Company purchased the News-Press in 1985, David’s genius for finding better ways of doing things was soon noticed by the New York Times’ executive team who promoted him up the management ladder, culminating in his becoming the Production Director of the Sarasota Florida Herald-Tribune, the largest newspaper in the Times’ regional group, where David spent the last seven years of his long career, and where he quickly became the go-to-production-guy for the entire newspaper group.

Upon retirement in 2007, David returned to his beloved Santa Barbara where he was born, raised and lived all but seven years of his life.

David’s enthusiastic, wholehearted embrace of life could be infectious. Where others griped about obstacles, David saw challenges to gleefully surmount. He was extraordinarily capable, competent, reliable and imaginative. He built his own airplane, boat and house. He never lost his love of learning.

David is survived by his wife of 41 years, Vickie; his mother, Jerry; and his twin sister, Deborah. He was preceded in death by his father, Bud Harvey.

There will be no services, but a celebration of his life will be held at a future date.