David Konetski

It is with heavy hearts and deep gratitude for his life that we share the passing of Dave Konetski, beloved husband, devoted father, proud PapPap, loyal brother, esteemed mentor, and leader. Dave left this world on November 17, 2025, in Austin, Texas, surrounded by his wife and children after a courageous seven-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Dave lived a life filled with love, loyalty, joy, and curiosity. His personal motto, “Ride the Wave,” guided how he navigated life: Prepare yourself, stay steady, adapt, and when the right moment comes, rise with it… and most of all, enjoy it. Dave was successful and resilient, facing adversity like the surfers he admired on the shores of Hawaii, able to rise above the turbulence and seize opportunity.

Dave’s wife, Michele, and their blended family, Dani, Jackson, Elke, Ryan, and Brendan, were the center of his universe. Nothing made him light up more than being with them. Friends often joked that his grin entered a room before he did, a grin his kids inherited.

With Michele, Dave found a loving partnership rooted in respect, admiration, and friendship. Their life together was filled with a shared appreciation for experiencing the world fully. They both loved good food, live music, travel, and time with family and friends. Dave proposed at their favorite late-night restaurant, Justine’s, while the bartender cued up on vinyl “Beyond” by Leon Bridges, just as Dave had meticulously planned - espresso martini in hand. He loved being a Patron Saint at Lazarus Brewery and enjoyed sharing their tacos, coffee, and brews with friends and family. Together they were Austin City Limits loyalists. And they traveled extensively to places they loved with people they loved, especially places with beaches and oceans. Dave never met a beach he didn’t enjoy.

Dave approached life with the same tenacity and care that defines the male Emperor penguin. As Papa Penguin, Dave was a protector, steady, nurturing, endlessly patient, and quietly heroic in how he cared for his family and loved ones.

Dave’s children were his greatest joy and a true reflection of his character. He celebrated who they became as adults, the partners they chose, and the lives they are building. When Dave became a grandfather to Arlo and Penelope, he chose the name PapPap to honor his own grandfather, carrying forward a legacy of warmth and gentleness.

Professionally, Dave was a passionate innovator, brilliant engineer, and a gifted strategist. He held over 60 patents, helped shape the global Blu-ray standard, and guided some of Dell’s most important technology directions. But what defined him most was his generosity.

Dave used his enormous credibility, influence, and access to open doors for others. Countless careers were moved forward because Dave believed in people, devoted his time as their mentor, and advocated for them. He helped shape the Technical Leadership Community at Dell, maintaining strategic domains, ensuring engineering work stayed meaningful and forward-looking, and nurturing the next generation of leaders. Many colleagues remember Dave as authentic, transparent, honest, loyal, fair, a true mentor, direct, trusting, and the best manager they ever had - not because he made things easy, but because he made them better as a professional and as a person.

Dave kept a biweekly happy hour on calendars for more than a decade, a simple ritual that became a touchstone for countless colleagues and friends. It was never about status or hierarchy. It was about people connecting with one other.

Throughout his illness, Dave remained grounded in gratitude, and always approached life with optimism and positivity. In the hardest moments, he never stopped looking forward, loving fully, and preparing himself to meet each moment with strength and steadiness.

Dave’s legacy is carried forward in Michele, their children, grandchildren, siblings, colleagues, and all whose lives were blessed by knowing him. His love, loyalty, joy, curiosity, and “Ride the Wave” philosophy remain with each of us.

Dave, you will be missed beyond measure.

A Celebration of Live for Dave will be held December 11, 2025 at 3PM at Weed Corley Fish Parkcrest in Austin, Texas. Dave believed strongly in exploring new and hopeful pathways to healing. To carry that forward, a fund is being established in his name, with details available at a later date. If you feel called, we ask that you honor Dave’s memory by supporting the fund, sharing food and drink with those you love, or help lift someone up either personally or professionally, just as Dave always did.