David P. Geggis

David P. Geggis of York Beach and Punta Gorda, Fla., who devoted his life to his family, publishing textbooks, and rooting on the Red Sox, died peacefully in his sleep Thursday. He was 86.

He was born Aug. 2, 1935 in Winthrop, Mass., and his heart never strayed far from his beloved New England roots. Dave graduated from Boston College High School and Boston College, proud of his “Double Eagle” status. He began his career in a few sales jobs that would inspire his family’s loyalty to brands like Mueller’s Macaroni and Cain’s Mayonnaise for decades on. He soon found his true calling in textbook publishing, but then he was called away for a bit and served in the U.S. Army’s 111th  Field Artillery Regiment, stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was called to duty for the Berlin Wall crisis.

That twist in the road — and interruption in his career — led to a reassignment that would prove fortuitous, even if it required his relocation to the Philadelphia area, away from his favored city.  He sold college textbooks in math, engineering and science. During his tenure in Philadelphia he made a dance request to a certain lovely blonde at a Philadelphia club and she agreed to a slow dance. She was interested in the subjects of the textbooks he sold.

His gentlemanly manner and Catholic spirituality kept them dancing. And soon his interests in jazz music and baseball had to make room for a new chapter with bouncing babies, owning a home and tennis round robins.

At work, Dave rose from sales and into executive ranks at Addison Wesley, PWS and Jones & Bartlett. At the pinnacle of his career, he was the editor of one of the most popular calculus textbooks in its time.

On weekends, he cheered on the Boston College Eagles, the Celtics, the Patriots, and was thrilled to live to see the Boston Red Sox reverse the curse. Dave was ready to enjoy any random, colorful anecdote resulting from a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles, or at the cashier, which he would then repeat to others with more embellishment to maximize hilarity. His family was at the core of his existence.

In retirement, he was able to enjoy a wide circle of friends and more fully explore his interest in music, which entailed singing the crucial bass part in the choir at Sacred Heart Church in Punta Gorda, Fla. He also had the opportunity to travel the world, including watching the animal migration in Africa, seeing the Great Wall of China and sailing down all the major rivers in Russia.

Dave is sorely missed by his wife of nearly 57 years, Marie Yeager Geggis whom he married on Thanksgiving Day; his son and his wife, Chris and Diane Geggis of Carlisle, Mass.; his daughter and her husband, Anne Geggis and Ron Hurtibise of Magate, Fla.; and his daughter, Elka Wilder of Joshua Tree, Calif.

Dave was preceded in death by his son, James S. Geggis II; his brothers, James Geggis Jr. and Edward Geggis; his parents, James S. and Catherine (Cantwell) Geggis.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m., on  Wednesday, November 3rd  in St. Christopher Catholic Church, 4 Barrell Lane, York, with Interment and Military Honors to follow in the First Parish Cemetery. 

Donations in his memory would be appreciated to the St. Vincent DePaul Society, Sacred Heart Conference, 25200 Airport Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 or Boston College, Office of University Advancement, Cadigan Alumni Center, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

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