In Memoriam: David North

We at ETC lost a friend, a mentor, and a great role model this weekend with the passing of David North. He died peacefully on Saturday, February 25th after a hard-fought battle with brain cancer.

David North will always be remembered for his southern charm. He treated everyone he met with respect and kindness no matter their background. He mentored those new to the industry with patience and encouraged his colleagues and friends with a grace and a professionalism that is rare in this world.

David graduated from North Carolina State University in 1993 with an electrical engineering degree. In 1994, he started with ETC as a support specialist in Technical Services. In 1996 he was promoted to a supervisor position, assisting on several large, ground-breaking installation projects.

In 2000 he was again promoted, this time to manager of his department. It was here that he led an impressive team in charge of custom hardware and software development, large-site project management, beta testing, and product releases. In 2013 a new General Manager position was created for ETC’s growing rigging department. David North was asked to step into this role, directing ETC’s rigging strategy around the globe. 

“I’ve heard many stories about David over the course of the last several months,” says VP of Professional Services, Sarah Danke. “There was one central theme to them all – he helped. He was a helper, a teacher, and one of the most loyal friends I have ever had. ‘No’ was simply not a part of his vocabulary. This to me epitomizes David. He was an amazing servant leader. Brilliant man. Eagle Scout. Don Quixote… In our 20+ years he became a brother to me and I’ll miss him terribly.” 

David’s wife Vicki says, “When someone had a wrench thrown in their plans, David always knew which way to turn it. From Hello Dollies – his unofficial moving service provided to countless friends, to the teen arts programs he dedicated so much time to… he was never interested in the limelight, but his dedication was spot-on. He wasn’t a saint, but he was my knight in shining armor.” 

He will always be remembered for his puns and dry sense of humor, for his ability to lighten the mood with a joke and a smile, and his undying willingness to be there when you needed him. We are dealing with our sadness with strength, and humor, just the way you would have wanted. David, you touched the lives of so many and you are greatly missed.