David Allen Schlicher

“Give me a problem and I’ll hand you a solution.” Those who knew David Allen Schlicher would agree that that motto accurately described him. David was a man of great drive and a very original, independent thinker. For David, no challenge was impossible, and just about any desired result was within his grasp. David placed great trust in his intuition. Since that intuition generally led him in the right direction, who was he to doubt it. He was the son of Henry Schlicher and Marion Wardan. David was born Monday, December 5, 1955 in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was raised in New Jersey where he matured into the independent person he eventually became. David grew up with four siblings. He had two older brothers Donald and Gregory and two younger sisters Elizabeth and Patty. David could be seen as being stubborn by his siblings. It was important to him that he was perceived as “right” when it came to his part in those typical family spats. However, this quality did not over power his caring for his family. This ability to balance his family, with his need to be seen as right, helped him to develop into a young adult while enjoying many good times with his family. David was married to Kathy Vessell. Even though later divorced after 13 years of marriage they remained close friends and still considered each other family. They had some good times and some bad ones but in the end they were always there for each other no matter what. Together they raised their children, took family trips, and even overcame adversity together till the very end. They had an amazing friendship most people never have the opportunity to experience. David often neglected his own feelings in order to give to others. This was very true when it came to how he dealt with his children. He was able to hand on to each child a number of strong values. He taught them to appreciate their abilities, gave them a desire to persevere despite obstacles and set within them a drive to succeed. He had four children, one daughter, Nicole, and three sons, Corey, James, and Jason. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his kids. He loved them all so very much and wanted nothing but the best for them. From trips to New York to family vacations to the beach and all the small adventures in between, he always wanted them to thoroughly enjoy every minute. They were always aware of how much David loved them. He also had one grandchild, Nataila. She was the apple of her papaws eye. He once said that she stole his heart and was the love of his life. He never knew he could love someone as much as he loved his granddaughter. Every chance he got he would spoil her with attention, toys, and clothes. He made sure she knew how much she was loved by him.

David had a love for animals and cherished his pets. Two of his favorite pets were Zoey, a Miniature Border Collie, and Max, a Carolina dog. There was no animal he wouldn’t help if it was in need. From backyard bunnies to stray dogs walking the streets, he did his best to help them all. During David's professional working years, he was at his best when working independently. It became the hallmark of his performance. David was generally able to refocus his drive and determination and readily work toward finding a way to get things done that was beneficial to himself and his co-workers. His primary occupation was landscaping. David loved nothing more than to spend time with his family at his favorite spot, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He loved sitting in the sun under an umbrella and watching his kids play in the water. At night they would hit the theme parks, boardwalks, or even go-cart riding. He loved traveling to New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, The Cayman Islands and Mexico. He was always up for a new adventure, whether it was exploring the caverns in Tennessee or going out into the gulf of Mexico and watching the whales, or swimming with the stingrays in The Cayman Islands. He just never could get enough. David Allen Schlicher was always drawn to what was measurable, practical and factual. He was a very competent person who expected competence from others. He could be headstrong and certain about the way things were supposed to be. He was determined in every aspect of his life and certain that he was usually right about things. He trusted his intuition over all else, even if it opposed the popular belief, and he had faith in his inner vision and speculations. He wanted to be acknowledged by others as having made a contribution to whatever he was working on. His family and friends will miss his fierce determination, relentless innovations and analytical mind. He leaves with all those who knew him many wonderful memories. On Thursday, October 2, 2014, we lost an amazingly wonderful, kind-hearted man. He passed away at his home in Snellville, GA. David fought a long, hard and brave battle against liver cancer. But what was our loss was The Lord’s gain. He may be gone but will never be forgotten. His memory will live on through his loved ones and all the people who had the pleasure of knowing David Allen Schlicher. May his soul and his spirit forever rest in peace with Our Heavenly Father.