David A Doman

David Alan Doman of Colorado Springs, passed away peacefully at home at 7 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2025, in the arms of his wife Virginia and son Scott, as the sun rose and covered Pikes Peak in an intense pink light. Born June 4, 1944, in Alton, Illinois to Lewis Albert and Clara RoseLee (Johnson) Doman, David was the tenth of eleven children and proudly claimed that he was a “Perfect 10.” We heartily agree! David was delightful, dependable, deeply loving, and held dear by all who knew him.

One of eleven siblings, growing up poor, living in half of a duplex, David (and his brothers and sisters) developed a fabulous sense of humor, an unabiding love for family and friends, and an eagerness to help anyone in need. He spent his first six years in Alton, but after his mother’s passing, he and three siblings (Tom, Roger and Judy) were sent to live at the Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home and School in Normal, Illinois. The boys all lived there until graduation from University High School in Normal, excelling in sports and academics. As class president and a member of the National Honor Society, David was awarded an Illinois State Scholarship–a harbinger of his academic and professional success. He made lifelong friends at University High, attending class reunions well into the 50th year.

David attended Illinois State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geography. He taught middle and high school Geography and coached the track, basketball, and baseball teams. He kept his students’ attention with puns about “current events” during his lessons on streams and rivers (and many far worse!). He returned to ISU to get his Masters in Geography and then taught at Belleville Area College, and began working in the ISU library. “Mr. Interlibrary Loan” is what the jersey said, printed for him by an appreciative group of colleagues.

David knew much and was passionate about many things, but high on the list of fun pastimes for him were baseball (and later softball), darts, and poker. A lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, David appreciated their decorous play and knew all the history and lore of this fabled franchise. A solid first baseman, David loved to player-coach his teams, and treasured the camaraderie more than the outcome. A founding member of the Bloomington-Normal Dart Association (BNDA–their rallying cry), he became a top dart player winning titles and trophies at national tournaments in Chicago and St. Louis, alongside teammates Terry Smith, Doug Williamson, and Rick Bremner.

In 1981, after a failed bid to become a professional baseball umpire (due to corrective lenses), David migrated to Colorado Springs to join his close friend Terry Smith and his family. Smith was a mystery author (best known for The Thief Who Came to Dinner and its subsequent film); and David was research assistant and co-author on other mysteries. That same year, David began his Colorado library career at Pikes Peak Library District, again in charge of Inter-Library Loan, and later worked as Lead Trainer for PPLD staff and the public as we entered the digital library world. He finished his 35-year library career in Special Collections, guiding people who wanted to find their family history to the best resources and most fruitful outcomes. He retired in 2016, to considerable departmental fanfare, on a day he chose: April Fool’s Day.

David started his famous monthly poker game back in ‘81, and continued to host this raucous and hilarious group up until this year, in successive poker rooms decorated with Cardinal and beer memorabilia from decades ago (some obtained under “suspicious” circumstances), photos of great ballplayers and great family moments, and with a soundtrack of favorite 70’s LPs playing (“Take It Easy,” say The Eagles).

But the biggest winning hand in David’s life came when he met a fellow PPLD librarian named Virginia. First they were colleagues, then friends, happily joining hands in marriage in 1989, surrounded by friends and family at a small chapel in the woods, and opened the richest chapter in their lives–building a family together.

David was an amazingly supportive husband to Virginia, and a loving and patient father to Virginia’s children, Courtney then 9 and Scott, then 3. He ferried the children to countless sports and after-school activities, lulled the restless Scott back to sleep in the middle of the night, and cooked robust Midwestern meals (Bison Chili, Pork Chops, and Beef Stew being standout regulars). David not only loved feeding his own family but also made sure that other families in need had food. On his weekly grocery store trips with Scott, he always bought extra canned goods to drop off at the local food bank before going home.

David and Virginia shared many travel adventures (Panama was his favorite), going for the birds, the culture and geography, and for the love of being together experiencing new things. Closer to home, David and Virginia always attended (and often instigated) the Doman family reunions back in Illinois or out West. One year, for some of the Doman sisters who couldn’t travel easily, David, Tom, and Roger organized the “Babes Tour,” and visited each sister sequentially, gifting them with commemorative purple tour shirts.

David and Virginia joined the First Congregational Church in 1996, and began ushering there shortly after, and were Lead Ushers for several years. The family lived on busy Nevada Avenue until 2017 and have many wonderful friends and neighbors from their lives in that historic neighborhood.

They downsized in 2017, moving to a quieter street and life in retirement. Puns, laughter, and lots of visits from friends and family continued unabated, birdfeeding increased, along with reading and games (Knock Poker and Gin Rummy, especially), plus watching the Denver Nuggets and Broncos and evaluating the referees on the phone afterward with Scott. During the Pandemic he began a weekly Zoom poker game including his brother Tom and nephew Gregory and several close friends, which continued until his passing. Though the money bet in this game was imaginary, the stakes (bragging rights) were real, and David’s “bucket of despair” (where the losses went) was usually empty after the game.

David dealt with kidney disease for several years, always preferring not to talk about it, and for the people around him to live their lives fully, to eat the foods they could enjoy (even if he couldn’t), and not to worry about him. In 2024 he started dialysis, and even though his treatment was uncomfortable, he was a favorite at the clinic for his kindness and his sense of humor. In October 2025, he confidently made the decision that it was no longer possible for him to live in a way that suited him. Many loving friends and family came to see David before he passed, and he knew how much we treasured him. Pikes Peak Hospice and Sally Sharpe were incredibly helpful in his final days. The medical care and advice from Pikes Peak Cardiology (Dr. Eastburn, Dr. Strader and the staff), Pikes Peak Nephrology, and Dr. Jeff Kulp were great gifts to him.

David was preceded in death by his parents and ten of his eleven siblings. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Ann Carlson, stepchildren Scott Cornwell Smith, and Courtney Stapleton Smith, brother Dr. Thomas Doman, nephews Gregory Acker (Brenda Wirth), Michael Duffield, Matt (Lisa) Doman, Michael (Tara) Doman, Sisters-in- law Vickie Doman and Aida Carlson, nieces Vicki (John) Quigley, and Jennifer (Derek) Cordes. Other families include Leticia and Larry Watters, Taylor and Leah Watters, Logan, Christine and Evelyn Watters, Spencer Smith, Rosie Baca, Roy Greenwood, Jeff (Margo Adams) Foster, Les (Bert) Foster, Bob Foster, Marjie Foster, Dave Foster, and Christopher Carlson, plus friends Anne and Kelley McCready, Sally Sharpe, Samantha and Lili Tower, and countless friends from Poker, Softball, Darts, PPLD, First Congregational, neighbors, and everywhere David ever lived!

In lieu of flowers, since David was so passionate in his belief that everyone should have enough to eat, please consider making a donation to Colorado Springs Care and Share Food Bank in his name, or any food bank you prefer.

A Memorial Service will be held for him at First Congregational Church, 20 E. St. Vrain, on Saturday, Dec, 27 at 2 p.m., with a sumptuous reception of David’s favorite foods to immediately follow at the church. There is a Live stream link:https://youtube.com/live/aQk-liMSkx4?feature=share, and the Service will remain on the FCC YouTube.channel.