David P. Nass

David P. Nass, 61, of Storrs, made his transition from this earth on Saturday, October 25, 2014, after dealing for 9 months with complications of lung cancer. He was born in Beaver Dam, WI on August 1, 1953, the son of Beverly Nass and the late Gilbert D. Nass. He grew up in the Midwest - Iowa City and West Chicago - before coming to Storrs in 1965. He participated in all E. O. Smith sports, played in the orchestra, was a National Merit Scholar, graduating in 1971. From 1971 to 1973 he attended Princeton University where he played soccer and baseball. He then spent a semester traveling in Europe. In 1977 he graduated summa cum laude from UConn, majoring in psychology and minoring in geography. David was an avid sports fan with a penchant for detail and statistics and played softball with leagues in Vernon, Tolland, and Willimantic for 40 years. In 2010 was inducted into the WilliMAC Hall of Fame. Affectionately called the Hornet, he was known for his batting accuracy and fielding and for the loaded circus bat he shared with the team for practice swings. Dave worked as a cartographer with American Map and Printing Company in Torrance, CA and in Bloomfield, CT with Thompson & Associates, and for 22 years as an archivist at Cardone Records, Inc. in Tolland. Dave is survived by his mother, his brothers Jay Nass of Storrs and Craig Nass and his wife Karen of Columbia, nephew Jason E. Nass of Ashford, sister-in-law Ellen Nass of Mansfield Depot, cousins Lynn, Jon, and Gregg Heatley and Mark, Brian, Scott, and Nancy Nass. He was predeceased by his brother Gary K. Nass in January 2013 and his father in August 2012. David maintained a simple, uncomplicated, sometimes non-conforming lifestyle with the philosophy "we conserve time by moving slower, not wasting time by going fast and forgetting things." A slow eater and a fast base runner, he was predictably "fashionably late," casual-calm-and collected. He bypassed some of society's essentials - no debts, no credit card, no email, few electronics - and bypassed employment requiring suit and tie. Dave's affinity for accuracy, precision, and attention to detail spread through all areas of his life. He excelled academically and in the ball fields. He applied it to sports - batting, running, statistics and trivia - becoming the team's walking encyclopedia of their history. He loved to accumulate knowledge and willingly shared data. He liked mentally challenging board games and was an avid crossword puzzle fan. An advocate of fitness and health, he kept himself limber. Concerned for others, he was always urging his family to stay active. A shy, appreciative man, he had a gentleness about him. For the family he was a buffer and provided moral support, always thinking of our well-being. He was a violinist and music lover - from Beethoven to the Beatles, from Elvis to the Eagles, Chicago and the Monkees and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The first song he shared with his brother Jay was Dave Clark Five's "Because" in 1964. He was dedicated to his friends, his family, the Green Bay Packers, the Patriots, and the Red Sox. He had an intrigue for the mysterious, conspiracies, and strange occurrences. He cared deeply about the preservation of the environment - toxic waste, pollution, preparation for potential disasters, regularly contributing to bottle drives, composting and reusing. A host of friends, including all who hiked Mt. Washington together, contacted him these last weeks. His last words were "I'm happy!" A saver, a collector, a handsome and loveable packrat with a great smile, he was a beautiful person, a great guy. We will miss him. A gathering to celebrate Dave's life will be held at Windham (Country) Club, 184 Club Road, North Windham on Saturday, November 1st from 11:00AM to 2:00PM with a time for informal sharing at noon. In lieu of flowers, Dave suggested that donations in his memory be made to: BIGG PLAY (a baseball program for local teenagers) c/o Bill Shea, 75 Turner St. Willimantic, CT 06226; or Toxic Action Center (New England community hazardous waste removal training) at 2074 Park St. #210, Hartford, CT 06106 with a notation in memory of David Nass. Please share your memory of Dave with his family on Potter's online guestbook at www.potterfuneralhome.com .