Like many, I considered Dave my best friend growing up in Erie, PA.  He and I had so many crazy adventures together.  He defined courage--feeling scared, yet doing it anyway.  He taught me to live in the moment. Over and over again.  One weekend we decided to bring him to my high school and pretend that he was "moving into the area". He and I spent the day together at McDowell High that day.  Almost everyone who met him wanted to be his friend.  That was Dave.  One new years eve our parents went to an LDS church party and he and I stayed at his house.  I brought a project I was working on for scouts--a beaded headband.  I accidentall dropped it at the top of his wooden stairs and literally thousands of beads spilled down the stairs. He and I spent the next two hours cleaning them up before Dick/Alice came home.  He told jokes to make the time pass quickly. We laughed so hard we had to stop.  When I was 16, I had a falling out with my parents and ran away. Dave put me up in his bedroom for 2 weeks before I left for California.  His parents suspected but never confronted.  He took care of me for 2 weeks straight.  When we were 14 we took a trip to Toronto Canada. At one point, we took off downtown and he was able to navigate the downtown region like he was years ahead of me.  At one point,  we came across a shoeless guitarist who was playing Neil Young's "Hey Hey My My".  We stood there. In silence. Completely in the moment  until the end of the song.  After, we walked away, silent.  It was a holy moment.  At age 16, I found myself in a pickle when a group of tough teenage boys had targeted me at "Putt Putt" gaming center.  They wanted to fight and would not take no for an answer.  I was scared but knew it was going to go down.  Dave happened to be there that night.  He told me, "we got this". As we walked outside,  holy hell unfolded and Dave was not shy in his approach.  His confidence instilled confidence in me as well.  The bullies exited without further incident.

To David's Family: Sorry for your loss. You're in my thoughts and prayers. I graduated with Dave from Tech High School in 1985 and knew him from our childhood neighborhood. RIP Dave

Condolences to all whom loved David.  David will truly be missed in the community. Always willing to lend a hand if he could, UNLESS he had plans with any one of his children.  He was funny, gracious, and kind.  My thoughts and prayers to his family who are experiencing this loss way too soon. RIP David.

The life of David Wolfe was that of a classical hero. He came, he saw and he did something about it. One of the pillars of courage that I saw in my childhood as his younger friend was an unwillingness to accept that defeat was imminent. His own life pushed me to do things that I would have otherwise deterred from. I loved this man without reservation and the world is a shorter place to live in without his strong shoulders to hold it above us all. My best to his entire extended family. I missed him before I knew he was gone. - Chaz Kader - Hamilton School Football Field veteran of the Wolfe era

Good bye my oldest, precious and cherished friend. I still remember the day I met you when we were two or three, your big smiling face riding that big red tricycle, and saying "WANNA PLAY? We would then spend all our child hood years together, grabbing each day by the horns looking for adventure and figuring it all out. We shared so much in life together early on but always considered each other virtual siblings. I love you, and look forward to seeing you again someday in heaven; we both have kids now so that just means we have more playmates to add to our fun.

Can't believe you are gone.  To David's family, my heart is still heavy with this news.  Know that my family's thoughts and prayers are with you and David was well loved and adored by so many people and his heart was filled with so much love.  You will be missed David.

Ron Walker
Mayor
City of Como

Leanne and family, words are inadequate with such a loss. I hope you can take comfort in the knowledge of what a good sister you were to David. He couldn't have asked for a better one. Our thoughts are with you. Love Brandy and Mike Gilea

OBITUARY

David Ralph Wolfe

August 30, 1966 – October 20, 2016

Kraeer Funeral Home & Cremation Center

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