With
heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Thomas David Selecter Jr.,
55, most recently of Bennington, Vt., who left this earthly realm on
June 11, 2024. Although he is no longer with us, we’ll remember him
with fondness, gratitude and love. His care and kindness touched more
than he’ll ever know.
Known
by many as “Dave,” he was born on May 6, 1969, was adopted at
seven months old by Thomas and Shirley Selecter and was raised in New
Berlin, Wis., the youngest of four siblings.
They
moved to Pompano Beach, Fla., in 1981, where he attended Palm Cove
Elementary and Cardinal Gibbons High School. During high school, he
worked in the family’s photography and photofinishing business,
learning the art of processing and printing film and the science and
tech side of the lab. After school, he continued with the family
business and later moved on to Color Lab of Fort Lauderdale, where he
further honed his skills as a printer and technician.
In
the mid 1990s, seeking adventure and a change of scenery and seasons,
he moved to Vermont and settled in the Burlington area, where he
began working for PhotoGarden, a locally owned photo processing and
services business. He worked there until its closing in August 2017.
His
skills, dedication and attention to detail served the art and photo
communities of the greater Burlington area, where he helped produce
high quality work for local photographers and designers, ranging from
amateur to professional, starving artists to Vermont royalty, small
businesses to large companies and all types in between. He shared his
advice while printing others’ snapshots of everyday life —
memories and moments, forever frozen in time for friends and
families. As the wizard behind the scenes, he helped conjure the
power and beauty of the photographic print for all to behold.
Dave
was many things: a talented photographer in his own right, shooting
local landscapes and new terrain during many cross-country travels; a
soft-spoken artist who let the pictures do the talking; and a
technology guru who built computers and would help fix yours. He was
excited to share his many interests with others. As a cultural
connoisseur of music, television, movies and podcasts, he was eager
to introduce you to your next favorite band, cinematic experience or
comedy broadcast. He was a sports fan of varied sorts and followed
Formula 1 and MotoGP racing, ice hockey and world soccer. He enjoyed
pub trivia and had an endless wealth of knowledge, from the obscure
to all you ought to know. He was always ready to lend a hand, however
needed, and was an ace in the hole and jack-of-all-trades.
Dave
was a gentle soul, generous, kind, quick with a joke and made the
world a better place. He will be missed and honored in the afterlife.
He
is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Shirley Selecter. He
is survived by his older siblings, Cindy Acker, Ken Selecter and Tim
Selecter.
If
so moved, a donation in Dave’s name may be made to the Vermont Suicide Prevention Center.
We
will honor his life with a gathering and tribute on Saturday, October
26, at 11 a.m., at the Burlington waterfront. We will meet near the
Moran Plant / Harbor Marina. Please call and leave a message at
561-702-6720 for more details.
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2024.
Dave was a keen ping pong player. 😁. He and I had many fun hours playing together. So much silliness, laughter and happiness. I cherished our ping pong “matches”. I love remembering him in those moments. Brings a smile to my face.