David Chevalier

BERKSHIRE- David H. Chevalier, age 87, passed away surrounded by his family on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at Our Lady of the Meadows in Richford, VT.

David (Dave) was born on September 3, 1935, in Gallipolis, OH to Cleo Chevalier and Mary Jo Treadway.

Dave grew up in Gallipolis, graduating from Gallipolis High School in 1952. At 17, he joined the Air Force beginning many years of traveling the world, including serving his country in Vietnam.

It was during a tour in Germany that Dave met the love of his life, Christa. The story of their meeting is one that has been told countless times, especially in their later years. They were married on June 23, 1956. Dave and Christa welcomed their first daughter, Diana, in 1956 with their 2nd daughter, Denise, arriving two years later to complete the family.

Dave, Christa, and the girls spent the next years moving to various Air Force bases; Hawaii, Oregon and even Minnesota before finally settling down in Vermont. Being proficient in morse code, he would often tease you by saying something in code, dit, dot, dit, dit...a secret language. Dave retired from the Air Force, bought the Dewey Street house, and began his training to become a Master Plumber. Once his apprenticeship was complete, he opened his own plumbing business, Chevalier Plumbing & Heating. He was often seen around town with the blue van bearing Christa's character from her book series, Spence. The house on Dewey Street would see Diana & Denise grow up, Dave & Christa would become Opie & Omi, and lots of love and laughter.

Dave and Christa built their forever house in Berkshire in 1988. They loved to spend time outdoors with their dogs, bike riding, walking through the woods, laying in the hammock & Dave loved a cold Heineken on the back deck in the sunshine at the end of the day. Well, he loved a cold Heineken any time of the year. He continued his love of gardening, eventually building a small greenhouse to start the plants for the new year. This was so successful that he built another greenhouse; this one much bigger and heated with an old furnace. He would grow tomatoes all year round and it was a rare day in the summer that you couldn't find him on his tractor. Dave loved to share his different ways of growing a big, red tomato. Of course, with all of these tomatoes, Christa would be in the kitchen canning them and telling Dave...No more tomatoes!

Besides his tomatoes, Dave was known to renovate old houses, he loved to play a round or 2 of golf at the Richford Country Club (eventually becoming the President), volunteer at the Franklin County Humane Society with Christa; selling raffle tickets and delivered Meals on Wheels for many years. Dave would go to the gym regularly, stopping at Wetherby's for his coffee and the latest news in town. Dave and Christa loved to host dinners at their house with friends and family, filling the house with lots of laughter and wonderful memories.

He will be greatly missed by his loving family, daughters, Diana Gadue (Jeff) and Denise Delorme-Richling (Robert). His grandchildren, Christina (Tom) Adamczak, David Burnham, Darcy Burnham, and Jacob Chevalier; great-grandchildren, Nathan, Christian and Grace Adamczak and Jalisa and Robert Mejas. His brother, Charles Chevalier, as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and beloved dog, Addie.

If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise (one of Dave's favorite sayings), there was a joyous reunion with all of Dave's family that went before him; his love, Christa, parents, Cleo (Mary Margaret) Chevalier and Mary Jo (Verl) Treadway, his brothers, William (Sophie) and Larry Chevalier, his sister, Virginia Chevalier, in-laws, Heinz and Hilda Hübler, sister-in-law, Barbara, and brothers-in-law Jürgen and Arndt Hübler. And of course, their beloved dogs Dimi, Sergeoff, Danny Boy, Petey and Jackson.

The family would like to extend a huge thank you to the staff at Our Lady of Meadows for giving Dave such loving and dedicated care over the last 3 years. It wasn't easy, especially with COVID, but you managed to make sure that he was well taken care of.

Family and friends are invited to Dave's celebration of life on Saturday, June 24, 2023, to include visitation at 10:00AM with a memorial service beginning at 11:00AM at the Goss-Spears Life Celebration, 96 Dickinson Ave., Enosburg Falls, VT. A graveside service will be held immediately following the service at the Richford Center Cemetery, Richford, VT.

For those who wish, contributions in Dave's memory may be made to the Franklin County Animal Rescue, 30 Sunset Meadows, St. Albans, VT 05478 or the Alzheimer's Association, VT Chapter, 300 Cornerstone Drive, Williston, VT 05495.

Condolences, photos and favorite memories may be shared through www.gossfs.com