David (Slats) L. Wiest, Class of 1960, passed away on 25 May 2013 at his home in Silver City, N.M. following a long bout against prostate cancer. He was born in Nahant, Mass. on March 20, 1938 and came to the Academy from Lynchburg, Va. While at the Academy, he excelled at gymnastics, took part in the Professional Studies Group as Chairman, served on the class ring committee, and was also active in the Forum and member of the DODO staff.

Following graduation, Dave attended pilot training at Bartow Air Base, Fla. and Reese AFB, Texas. It was at Reese where he met his future wife, Laura Claybourn of Fort Worth, Texas. They were married in September 1961 prior to reporting to Stead AFB, Nev. where he trained as a helicopter pilot. Following assignments at Dover AFB, Del. and Incirlik AB, Turkey, Dave flew a combat tour in Vietnam in 1966 where he was known to his rescue helicopter crew as "The Old Dad" (turned 29 in Vietnam); he served as a Rescue Crew Commander, maintenance officer, test pilot, sometime-clerk (advantage of being in a small outfit), and always a mentor.

After Vietnam, he resigned in 1967, and Dave and Laura began an active, adventurous life in Taos, N.M. where he restarted life as a photographer, with additional work hosting at an art gallery, putting up the Taos County booth at the New Mexico State Fair, moving a couple of businesses, matcutting for pictures, and repairing cameras for a store in Albuquerque. He followed all that by becoming a Ski Bum at Taos Ski Valley.

After a short sojourn in Maine, Dave and Laura returned to settle in New Mexico where he went to work with the U.S. Forest Service in the Cloudcroft Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest performing many diverse duties. His career with the Forest Service went from a fire tower lookout to a computer manager with many other interesting jobs along the way. To some he was known as "Gadget Man." He spent his off days from the Forest Service branding cattle. He retired in December 2000 from Gila National Forest in Silver City.

Throughout life he was a craftsman in wood, leather, and metals; he was a man of many interests; from astronomy to computers, construction to mule wrangling and much in between, he educated himself with piles of books and research; he loved to read, draw, play the banjo, and make things, and was always happiest working with his hands.

The wide variety of their interests, however, was always under shadowed by Dave's passion for interesting automobiles. He avidly sought to experience ownership of everything, from his earliest vintage Morgan convertible to his most recent, a RoadTrek motor home.

Dave and Laura had a real passion for adventure, and the courage to follow a path that others only dream about. They were truly a modern renaissance couple who lived life to the fullest. For them 75 years flew by too fast and, after a long battle with cancer, at the end he was ready and eager to "slip the surly bonds." I imagine, as he approached his Maker: "Yes, Sir!", "No, Sir!", "No Excuse, Sir!" were on his lips.

Dave recently chronicled much of that life in a piece posted on the Class of 1960 site, which he ended with the words: "I guess that was the adventure."

(Andi Biancur, President, Class of 1960)