David J. Winrock was born February 20, 1942, on Staten Island, N.Y. He attended Curtis High School, where he joined the swim team. He continued his life in the water as a lifeguard and scuba diver. Dave went on to become a builder and excavating contractor on Staten Island. He left thousands of buildings and houses in better condition than he found them and built the foundation for many more. By the time he left Staten Island, he said he probably knew 10,000 people there. Dave had many lifelong friends.
There was always a project on hand. Dave, with an affinity for airplanes, became a private pilot and avid flier as a young man. He owned, traded and rebuilt several aircrafts. He denied having any interest in helicopters for 77 years. In 2019, he learned how to fly one. The experience left him wanting more.
His travels took him far and wide in the United States and abroad. Dave biked thousands of miles and crossed the country numerous times by vehicle. In later years, he was accompanied by his wife, Brenda. Recently, two of his sons joined him for a boat trip down the Intercoastal to Florida. They faced a plethora of challenges, which did little to hinder their adventure. After a months of repair on their craft, the crew started out again and reached their final destination during a second trip a year later. They did not linger on the beach.
Many were lucky enough to be taken on rides in his airplane, in the bucket of his beloved backhoe, and in the Chris Craft. Dave was always on the move but would stop and talk a while with acquaintances and strangers. He was interested in what people had to say and how they lived.
Dave had a love for learning. He studied German, was AP- and ASC-certified, and was a self-taught musician. He shared his love of music with those around him. Through it all, Dave remained deeply humble and generous.
On May 31, 2020, David Winrock went into the portal. At the end of his life, he made the choice to be home with his wife and family. He had enjoyed a good life. He is survived by his wife, Brenda (Bennett) Winrock; his three sons, Kevin, Thomas and Fred Winrock; his daughter, Kathy Winrock; his sister, Gloria Budgett; and several grandchildren, lifelong friends and the homes he built. In the end, he claimed one of his greatest life experiences was raising children. Dave will be remembered as a kind man with much to say who embraced life with all his might.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2020.
David was the northernmost Burlingtonian. Some of us remember 15 years ago seeing, from the Winooski Bike Bridge, David’s yellow biplane on pontoons parked in North Cove or seeing him take off or land in the lake. Superb machinist. Wunnerful neighbor. Sometimes he used a road grader he had to smooth out our gravel road.
We met Dave when we responded to an tiny ad in the local paper for “house-moving, foundations, and general construction.” Well, we needed all three of those skills, so we gave Dave a call. It was one of the most fortuitous calls we’ve ever made.
Dave dug our new foundation, moved our (decrepit) home, and helped us out with various construction projects over a several year period while we renovated and added onto the original dwelling.
During that time, we learned of and were amazed by Dave’s wide-ranging knowledge and skill set, which included, of course, flying. We will never forget the night he landed his ultra-light plane in our field to the delight of our small children. Other times, on beautiful summer evenings, he would fly over the house he helped build and tip his wings, again to the delight of our whole family who would be jumping up and down waving as he flew by. We hope he saw us and could see the smiles on our faces.
We were blessed to have someone like Dave Winrock In our lives at that time of our lives. We were young, in need of help, and on a tight budget. Dave was the best “contractor-turned-friend” you could ever ask for.
I‘m sure his family realizes what a special guy he was. Fred, if you’re reading this, we met you at least once while you were helping your dad. Our sincere condolences on your loss.
Dave, When we saw you on a recent hike on Mt Philo, we thought you looked the same as ever – full of life and vigor. May you soar in heaven as you soared into our lives. We will miss you.
Todd and Lisa Presson