David Lee Draper, 74, of Bristol, Vt., passed away on April 19, 2026, at the McClure Miller Respite House after a courageous battle with cancer.
David was born in Morrisville, Vt., on June 28, 1951, and was predeceased by his parents, Carlyle and Ramona (Perry) Draper; brother James; and sister Connie. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Nancy (Johnson) Draper; daughter, Kristina (Phillip) Smith, and granddaughters, Avery and Harper, of Grand Isle, Vt.; stepdaughter, Angie Dykstra, and step-grandchildren Vanessa, Casandra and Whitney of Bristol; stepson, Tim Farr, and step-grandchildren Hannah, Hunter and Phoenix of West Rutland, Vt.; sister Bonnie (Keith) Conchieri of Colchester, Vt.; Lori (Stephen) Ploof of St. Albans, Vt.; and brothers Steven (Paula) Draper of South Burlington, Vt., and Bruce Draper of Florida.
A graduate of Burlington High School, class of 1969, David went on to serve in the Vermont National Guard while pursuing his lifelong passion for carpentry and woodworking. After years of working in all phases of carpentry, he found his true calling building high-end custom furniture and cabinets in his workshop in Bristol, where his skill and dedication were reflected in every piece he created.
David was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing year-round, spending countless hours on Lake Champlain and many of the beautiful lakes and streams throughout Vermont. He also enjoyed horseback riding and riding his custom motorcycles. One of his big adventures was traveling with his wife, Nancy, to Sturgis, S.D., for the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. In memory of David, donations can be made to the McClure Miller Respite House.