Visitation
Monday (10/24)  2:30 - 4:30 PM and 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- Complimentary Valet Parking Available -

Departing
Tuesday (10/25)  10 AM

Burial
Saint Charles Cemetery (Farmingdale, NY)

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David Robert Terribile was born on June 2nd, 1930 as the first child of Amedeo Terribile and Michelina Gallo Terribile.   He was followed by his sister Antoinette and brother Richard.   David grew up on 58th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.    Among his recollections growing up were marveling when he first saw stars in the nighttime sky and seeing a motorcade with Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt pass his house during the war.

David was a proud graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School in 1948. His activities there included membership in the cheer squad.  He attended Cooper Union, studying civil engineering.    One of his early jobs was as a busboy at an automat. Because his boss felt he was the 'best bus' he didn't get fired after accidently spilling beet juice on a lunch patron's white shirt.

David enlisted in the Air Force in September 1951 with the hope of working around airplanes.    After getting assigned draftsman's duties, he switched to the Army to learn something new.   Upon completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned in December 1952 as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Army Corp of Engineers.   He served in Korea leading an engineering platoon.   He was trusted by the commanding officer to come up with efficient solutions for tough problems.   He left the military in 1954 with 3 honorable discharges (Air Force, Army, Commissioned Army Officer).

David married Ruth Emmy Muenkel in 1955.   They had two sons, Mark in 1957 and Matthew in 1963.   They lived in Queens Village, NY until 1970 when they moved to Pleasantville, NY.   He worked for many years for Morsol Iron Works.   He worked his way up from being a draftsman to a detailer and an estimator.   After Morsol's owner retired, he and a partner founded Thorin Iron Works in 1978.   He quickly established a reputation for taking on challenging and creative jobs, including centerpiece staircases in the Barbizon and Plaza Hotels.   Among his other work was creating the steel for display cases in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, erecting steel to hold antennas on the top of the World Trade Center, and building the still-visible framework for equipment on top of 20 Exchange Place.

David was a Boy Scout leader, first an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 332 in Queens Village, and then a Scoutmaster for over 10 years with Troop 5 of Pleasantville.   He enjoyed outdoor adventures including cave exploring, canoeing, backpacking, white water rafting, and sailplaning.   He camped many summers at Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation, where a canoe trailer he built with his iron working skills is still in use.   Between 1985 and 2006 he backpacked at Philmont Scout Ranch, paddled the Boundary Waters at Northern Tier High Adventure Base and sailed at Florida Sea Base.  David received both the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver for his service to Scouting.

David was a good cook and baker both at home and while camping.    When his Boy Scout troop had bake sale fundraisers, he would bake a table full of pies and breads.   His signature holiday meal was lasagna with meatballs and tomato sauce cooked all day.    On camping trips he once cooked a chicken coated in mud on a bed of hot coals.   Additionally, David took after his father, enjoying the garden.   He planted fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, grape vines, and vegetables.

At age 68, David started a new career as an iron worker with the MTA, working in the subway tunnels.   After a few years he moved to the contract inspection department, where he became a maintenance supervisor in 2002.   He retired in 2010 on his 80th birthday.   In his roles he was trusted for his experience, valued for his innovation, and well liked as a humble team player.

David happily spent his last 25 years with Regina Lennon.   Starting in 2003, they lived in Breezy Point, NY in a home that he largely designed. They enjoyed hosting many beautiful Christmas parties for families and friends there.  Together they had many adventures including trips to Australia, the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Canyon, and the Blue Danube.   He loved flying in small craft. On many trips, he and Regina would take historic biplane or balloon rides.  A dream trip in 2010 was visiting Alvignano, Italy where his father was born.   He was also very happy to be accompanied on that trip by his son and future daughter-in-law, Jan Seabock.

Among his other pursuits were solving crossword puzzles (a hobby of his mother), woodworking (taking after his father), and blacksmithing.   He tried his hand at other creative pursuits including painting and photography.   His whimsical smile, firm hand clasp, storytelling, brilliant creativity, generosity, servant leadership, calm demeanor, and friendship will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, as a more permanent tribute to David, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.