Notizen zu dieser Person
David R. Toeppen a resident of Mount Prospect for 46 years David R. Toeppen, 83, departed from Northwest Community Hospital on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, having succumbed to a sudden strok
e. Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 20, at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Road (at Northwest Highway), Mount Prospect, from 3 until 7 p.m. There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday,
March 12, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 605 W Golf Road, Mount Prospect. Surviving are his wife, Rachel; son, Dennis; daughter, Laurell; brother, Donald; and his energetic and beloved 5-year-ol
d grandson, Ian. Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Herwig and Flora; his brother, Lionel; and his infant son, Doug. Dave was born April 5, 1927, in Evanston, and grew up in Wilmette. He atten
ded New Trier High School and Northwestern University, before graduating from Miami of Ohio University. Last year, Dave attended his 60th reunion at Miami, where he relived childhood memories with his
dear friend and classmate, Art Thieme. While attending high school during World War II, Dave built an 8" reflector telescope despite wartime rationing of crucial materials, in pursuit of what turned
out to be a lifelong interest in astronomy. He enjoyed operating his telescope in public settings, so that others could share his love of the heavens. Dave's interest in astronomy led him to become an
advocate for dark skies, not only to preserve future generations' ability to view the heavens, but also as a means of preserving the environment through reduced energy consumption. His persistent adv
ocacy through International Dark-Sky Association has led to the adoption of new dark sky ordinances and regulations in several nearby jurisdictions, including Homer Glen in Illinois and the Kickapoo V
alley in Wisconsin. Dave met his wife, Rachel, at an American Youth Hostel ("AYH") canoe trip in Wisconsin, where he was particularly impressed by Rachel's ability to cook over a wood fire. Dave and R
achel were married for nearly 48 years. He spent nearly 30 years working in the metalworking machinery business, as a salesman, senior manager and then president of Atherton Machinery, currently locat
ed in Des Plaines. Dave worked alongside longtime friend Bob Atherton, who he met in a tree in Illinois Beach State Park during a game of hide and seek on an AYH outing, and Bob's wife Martha. Dave ha
d a strong interest in the environment and its protection. He especially cherished a summer he spent during college working in Yellowstone Park, where he meticulously documented all Yellowstone geyser
s on Kodachrome slides. In the 1950s, Dave took raft trips on the Colorado River, including his honeymoon, and battled against the damming of the river at Glen Canyon. His ideas regarding Glen Canyon
dam have found traction with others in recent years, and the dam may actually be removed in the future. At New Trier High School, Dave viewed many travel movies at the weekly Sunday Evening Club, and
was fascinated by filmmaking. He shot many films of AYH canoe trips, rafting trips, and other outdoor activities. He would spend many hours editing his films, putting them to music, and adding narrati
on. The films were often publicized and shown at AYH gatherings, over 30 public libraries, and other forums. In recent years, he grew weary of the demands of filmmaking, but still managed to shoot fou
r 100' film rolls of Wilmette, his family, and especially, his grandson, just days before the worldwide cessation of Kodachrome film processing on December 30. Dave actively participated in the lives
of his son, Dennis and daughter, Laurell. He was a member of Indian Guides, Indian Princesses and Boy Scouts, and a supporter of Laurell's activities in Campfire Girls. In recent years, Dave focused h
is attention on the Mount Prospect Historical Society, International Dark-Sky Association, Yellowstone Coalition, and Environmental Defense Fund. The pinnacle of his attention and interest, however, s
eemed to be his energetic 5-year-old grandson, Ian, with whom he played board games, took numerous walks and enjoyed much laughter. One of Dave's last coherent moments came when he Ian entered his roo
m in the intensive care unit at Northwest Community Hospital. Although he could not communicate in coherent words or sentences, he managed to exclaim "Ian!" when grandson Ian entered the room. Dave's
family asks that you help Dave carry on his life's work by making a donation to the Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org. For information, 847-255-7800 or www.FriedrichsFH.com.
Birger
Jaschke
