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Yesterday we buried our old comrade Dave Seay. He passed away June 7 after an illness. He was only 54 years.
Dave was an incredible force in this hobby during the 1970s, 1980s, and into the 1990s. He did a lot of heavy lifting for this hobby.
Dave was the founder of the 23rd Virginia and led that regiment gloriously through the 125th Anniversary re-enactments. I was only a youngster in High School when I met Dave. He was a big influence on me as a maker of reproduction clothing.
He was a welder by trade with big old paws who taught himself to sew uniforms. He made hundreds of uniforms for many units. We held unit work parties at his house to get things ready for the 125th events.
His personality was infectious. He was a gregarious fellow who you liked to be around. He loved to laugh and to sing. I can't remember him being negative about anything or anyone.
For much of his life his passion was Virginia history and the Confederacy so it is only fitting that he was buried at a small country graveyard less than a mile from Saylor's Creek Battlefield. A place where he led us many times during the 70s and 80s. Through the creek, up the hill, dig in, and await the inevitable assault that will doom the Confederacy.
Though Dave was not active in recent years he made a triumphant return this past March to an event. Despite his illness he had a cheerful attitude.
Most important, in the past several years Dave became a professed Christian and was very active in his church. He would go out of his way to help a neighbor or friend fix a car, repair a pipe, lay a kitchen floor, or do whatever was needed. He is buried in his church graveyard, just yards from another Virginia gentleman- Chuck Hillsman.
Dave was a simple man who loved his family, his friends, his troops. We said goodbye to him yesterday, with flags and blackpowder smoke wafting through the air. As he was laid into his grave, the birds around us sang to Dave a melody of joy and grief.
It was an honor to serve under you Colonel; it was a privilege to call you "friend."
Greg Starbuck
Dave was an incredible force in this hobby during the 1970s, 1980s, and into the 1990s. He did a lot of heavy lifting for this hobby.
Dave was the founder of the 23rd Virginia and led that regiment gloriously through the 125th Anniversary re-enactments. I was only a youngster in High School when I met Dave. He was a big influence on me as a maker of reproduction clothing.
He was a welder by trade with big old paws who taught himself to sew uniforms. He made hundreds of uniforms for many units. We held unit work parties at his house to get things ready for the 125th events.
His personality was infectious. He was a gregarious fellow who you liked to be around. He loved to laugh and to sing. I can't remember him being negative about anything or anyone.
For much of his life his passion was Virginia history and the Confederacy so it is only fitting that he was buried at a small country graveyard less than a mile from Saylor's Creek Battlefield. A place where he led us many times during the 70s and 80s. Through the creek, up the hill, dig in, and await the inevitable assault that will doom the Confederacy.
Though Dave was not active in recent years he made a triumphant return this past March to an event. Despite his illness he had a cheerful attitude.
Most important, in the past several years Dave became a professed Christian and was very active in his church. He would go out of his way to help a neighbor or friend fix a car, repair a pipe, lay a kitchen floor, or do whatever was needed. He is buried in his church graveyard, just yards from another Virginia gentleman- Chuck Hillsman.
Dave was a simple man who loved his family, his friends, his troops. We said goodbye to him yesterday, with flags and blackpowder smoke wafting through the air. As he was laid into his grave, the birds around us sang to Dave a melody of joy and grief.
It was an honor to serve under you Colonel; it was a privilege to call you "friend."
Greg Starbuck
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