David Brandt Kerwin, 59, died on Monday, April 3, 2017 in his home in Colorado Springs of multiple myeloma. David was born on October 7, 1957 in Philadelphia, PA to James F Kerwin and Anna May (Dych) Kerwin. David, who grew up in Broomall, PA, attended Saint Anastasia School and graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School in 1975 with the highest grades of a class of over 900 students. David graduated with a baccalaureate degree from University of Notre Dame in 1979 with a major in chemistry and music. He worked briefly as chemist at American Chrome and Chemical in Corpus Christi, Texas and as a high school science teacher in Edinburg, Texas. He then entered graduate school at Colorado State University, where he received his MS degree and met all the requirements for a PhD degree. David and his wife, Cindy Trevino, met at Notre Dame and married on July 11, 1981 in Harlingen, Texas. David and Cindy have three daughters: Melissa Patrice Kerwin (31), Teresa Marie Kerwin (26), and Brenna Rose Kerwin (18), and one grandson, Finn David Tempelaar (19 months). He is survived by his siblings: Jim (Alice), Mary Louise Kerwin, and Sean (Wendi), and many nieces and nephews. In his professional career, David continually progressed through various positions of increasing responsibility at Mostek, United Technologies, Aeroflex and Cobham. He was considered an expert in the fields of reliability and manufacturing processes for the most sophisticated microelectronic products used in aerospace and medical applications, and was invited to speak at international conferences on these subjects. Early in his career, David developed break-through processing techniques for aerospace integrated circuits that remain in use today. His work dramatically reduced the cost of these devices and has enabled complex technology capabilities for virtually every satellite flown in the last twenty years. His career was characterized by innovation and he held numerous patents. A recognized problem solver, David was often sought out by colleagues to help with the company’s most difficult challenges and he never refused to help his associates. Later in his career, he managed a team that developed specialized circuits that are used in some of the most advanced CT scanning machines in use today. He was particularly proud that his contributions helped reduce radiation risk and improve the diagnostic capability of this widely used instrument. A true creative and brilliant thinker, David will be remembered by those he worked with as always willing to engage with his co-workers, for his diligence, his ability to inspire others to perform to the best of their abilities, and his passion for excellence. (He especially loved to discuss with his daughters that his signature was travelling throughout the solar system on some of the microelectronics that he helped developed.)
In addition to being accomplished in his career, David was a talented musician. His avocation was performance music and singing. He played piano, organ and composed music, including a wedding march for his sister and a song for his wife that he used as her ringtone. He sang for Opera Theater of the Rockies and was a member of The American Music Society and the American Organists Society.
David will be honored and remembered at a viewing on April 6 from 5-7pm followed by the rosary at Swan Law Funeral Home on Cascade Ave and a funeral Mass and inurnment at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on April 8 at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, donations to any organization that advances the search for a cure for multiple myeloma such as the LLS or the Myeloma Research Foundation or any organization that promotes a love of music such the Opera Theatre of the Rockies would be much appreciated.
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