View Full Version : Farewell to a true JazzFest fan
Baconwrapped
07-10-2009, 10:26 PM
One of my personal 2009 JazzFest highlights was private, and magical. My friend Diana (co-owner of our house there) and I were at Shamarr's Jazz Tent set and noticed we were sitting right behind Paul Sanchez. When the set was over as we were leaving, we asked Paul if he could do us a favor. Our other house co-owners and friends Nettie and Dave, who had been to nearly every Fest since the early '90s, had to stay back at home in Southern California this year because Dave had been going through some very serious health problems, involving a cancerous growth in his spine and some nasty surgeries related to that. As Paul was a big fave of there's, we asked if he would just say hi to them on the phone.
Diana dialed, got their voice mail and handed the phone to Paul, who proceeded to give a quick hello and then sing an absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans," ending with a "see you at JazzFest next year." Needless to say, Diana and I were tearful puddles by that point. Nettie called back later and said, "How did you do that??" and told us that it made her and Dave's week, which had been pretty down given what they indeed had to miss New Orleans then.
Dave Schmerler passed away on Thursday. It wasn't the cancer, per se, but pneumonia that took him down. Three weeks in the ICU, nothing worked. He was tired, worn out. And he left in peace. He loved New Orleans, loved Fest, loved our house, and was greatly loved by us and many others. His passion for music, food and friends was boundless. We're going to have a big party out here to celebrate his life with all those things in abundance. And Paul's music will be among the highlights on the soundtrack.
In the meantime, if you're hoisting something or diving into a hearty N'awlins dish, please give a little toast to Dave, who had the spirit we all treasure so much.
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
When that's where you left your heart
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
More than I miss New Orleans
MormonMatthew
07-10-2009, 10:32 PM
I will be raising a glass to Dave tonight...........
steeleye
07-10-2009, 10:38 PM
I just did. God bless him.
pokerchick66
07-10-2009, 11:02 PM
Cheers, Dave!
funkkjunkie
07-10-2009, 11:16 PM
Thanks for sharing that, bw. Here's to a beautiful secondline! May you fest and rest in peace, Dave.
chrisjoseph
07-10-2009, 11:19 PM
Wow. On so many different levels, a big wow. This has brought tears to my eyes.
Carolina Beadhead
07-10-2009, 11:19 PM
What a lovely tribute to your friend.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.
ibjamn
07-10-2009, 11:22 PM
Thank you so much for telling us that story. I'm raising my glass to Dave right now. I'm sure he's jammin in heaven with Eddie Bo and the K-Doe's tonight.
glinda
07-11-2009, 12:03 AM
Here's to Dave. May the second line be funky for ya.
Thanks for sharing that sweet story, BW.
windowman
07-11-2009, 12:28 AM
What Chris said. Farewell, Dave.
wladybugw
07-11-2009, 12:38 AM
God bless you Dave!! It is so sad for us here on earth when we lose someone, but I truely do believe there is something else waiting for us on the other side. We should all hug the loved ones we still have and embrace the spirits we have lost...Cindee
bayoubaby
07-11-2009, 12:48 AM
...and just when i did not think i could cry again today.
He will always be alive as long as he lives in your heart and your memories.
May Dave rest in peace...and keep on festin' in the skies!
Baconwrapped
07-11-2009, 01:54 AM
thank you all for this... it means a lot. I'll be sharing these notes with his family and friends who will be very moved.
ozzie
07-11-2009, 02:04 AM
Thanks for sharing this beautiful memory with us. Raising a glass to Dave now.
I will raise a toast to your friend today. May God bless the family and friends he left behind with his great spirit.
Delta
07-11-2009, 06:52 AM
That was a beautiful obit for your friend bw. You're obviously carrying on his spirit and that's the best acknowledgement of his life.
yehyourite
07-11-2009, 07:47 AM
God Bless....
Corona
07-11-2009, 07:49 AM
Wow. On so many different levels, a big wow. This has brought tears to my eyes.
Mine too Chris...and lots of goosebumps. How wonderful that he got to hear Paul's voice one more time....such a poignant story. Dave sounds like he was a wonderful man with joy and love in his heart. May he RIP and continue to enjoy the NOLA music from those musicians who are no longer with us.
denideadhead
07-11-2009, 07:53 AM
what a lovely tribute and story I am so glad you shared it BW .....It is a privelege to wish godspeed to that jazzfest on the otherside to your friend Dave...
NYMAMA
07-11-2009, 08:45 AM
I will raise a glass today in celebration of Daves life.Thanks for sharing that moving story.
chicago_bones
07-11-2009, 09:27 AM
As a fellow member of Baconwrapped's Jazzfest krewe (the Fat Pack), I can't begin to say how much I'll miss Dave. He was always happiest in Nawlins. Goodbye Dave. Now you'll finally get to see the Professor and Booker.
linza22
07-11-2009, 09:49 AM
Oh geeze. RIP. I've got tears in my eyes. beautiful....absolutely beautiful.
Phatpapa
07-11-2009, 10:30 AM
Watery eyes here too. What a heartfelt story and RIP Dave. I will make a toast tonight!!
festbabe
07-11-2009, 10:33 AM
...to Dave!
(my eyes are leaking too)
PaulC
07-11-2009, 10:52 AM
your words and the loss they spoke of were very tragic,.. but they were also deeply poignant in their message of love... please find some peace in knowing that the very love and the accompanying joy that was at the very heart of his life is lasting...
RIP Dave...
sincere condolences to his family and friends alike for your loss of a special loved one.... live well and keep the memories of his love of life close...
innertube
07-11-2009, 11:54 AM
RIP
chrisjoseph
07-11-2009, 12:41 PM
I let Paul Sanchez know about this.....needless to say, he was/is more than touched, and quite sad.
MusicRoadMan
07-11-2009, 01:46 PM
Wow, lump in the throat reading this one....
Now Dave is off to a better Patry........
mightyradgumbo
07-11-2009, 02:46 PM
Rest in Peace, Dave. Condolences to you and his family, BW. What a great gesture to an obviously true friend that was.
Michelino
07-12-2009, 12:21 AM
A very touching story and what wonderful and timely gesture you were able to to send to your friends over the phone, along wth Paul's help.
Going to a Gospel BBQ concert Sunday and We will toast to the memory of Dave.
Gards
07-12-2009, 12:32 AM
A very moving story indeed.
I trust that Dave has found a better place.
I am off to see a band shortly and will raise a glass to celebrate his life when they start.
Baconwrapped
07-12-2009, 01:31 AM
You have all been so kind and so moving in your response. We've shared it with Dave's wife, Nettie, and she is deeply touched.
For a little more to fill out our picture of Dave, here's something my wife Mary wrote to our friends:
Dave died on Thursday at 2:08pm. He wasn't responding to any antibiotic or other treatment, so all that was stopped, and finally, the respirator was removed at 2pm. Minutes later, with his great love Nettie holding him, he slipped away.
I can not thank you enough for the messages of support and love you sent. Nettie read them all to him, and it made him happy during an otherwise largely miserable time.
It has been said that when a person dies, it's like a library burned down. I think this is especially true of Dave. From his fascinating childhood, where his parents would write to people they admired--Christopher Isherwood, say--and end up having them over for dinner and forming friendships, to his own adventures with live music and theater and social justice, Dave had stories. Every five minutes for the last few days, I've thought "But you never told me that story. Or that one. Or the other one." He had a lot of them, but of course, we had plenty of time to hear them. Didn't we?
Thursday night, Steve and I went to a show by some other dear friends, exactly as Dave would have wanted it. But our grief was too thick, and even the incredible music they were playing could not penetrate, and so we gave up. But outside the club was a baconwrapped hot dog vendor. This is going to seem like a frivolous digression, but bear with me. Baconwrapped hot dogs are this indigenous (unless they originated in Mexico, which is quite possible) Los Angeles street food; vendors push small carts with hot plates or sterno on them, and grill the dogs, which are then placed on buns loaded with fried onions and the usual condiments, including mayo (which, believe me, only adds to the deliciousness). They are a small wonder and once we discovered them a few years ago, my tribe felt all events were capped off to perfection if the bacon wrapped hot dog carts were there. Dave was a particular fan; I think he went to some things (Hollywood Forever's Day of the Dead, for example) partly because the baconwrapped dogs came out in huge quantities.
So when we saw the cart, we said "Oh, that's it. There it is." And we bought one, fully loaded, and toasted our friend.
If at some point in the next little while, Beloveds, you find yourself eating or drinking something good, or listening to a particularly fine piece of music, or at the theater, please, raise a look up and say "Dave Schmerler. He lived."
That he did.
Baconwrapped
07-12-2009, 01:33 AM
and of course, you see a little pork-fat motif there...
peteup
07-12-2009, 01:53 AM
What a sad but totally uplifting story. Thanks so much for sharing it. Here's to you Dave, for a life that made a difference!
Corona
07-12-2009, 08:06 AM
You have all been so kind and so moving in your response. We've shared it with Dave's wife, Nettie, and she is deeply touched.
For a little more to fill out our picture of Dave, here's something my wife Mary wrote to our friends:
wow, he really sounds like an amazing guy! ((((((baconwrapped)))))
tabasco
07-12-2009, 08:21 AM
In the meantime, if you're hoisting something or diving into a hearty N'awlins dish, please give a little toast to Dave, who had the spirit we all treasure so much.
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans
When that's where you left your heart
And there's one thing more, I miss the one I care for
More than I miss New Orleans
Thanks for sharing this... It warmed my heart. After reading your wife's quote I'm going to forgo the drink/nola dish and make a bacon wrapped hot dog in honor of Dave. RIP
festbabe
07-12-2009, 08:54 AM
You have all been so kind and so moving in your response. We've shared it with Dave's wife, Nettie, and she is deeply touched.
For a little more to fill out our picture of Dave, here's something my wife Mary wrote to our friends:
Aw, I'm tearing up again....:)
Hugs all around
FLSusan
07-12-2009, 11:40 AM
What an exceedingly touching story. RIP Dave and my sympathies to Nettie and all Dave's family/friends.
...and kudos to Paul for doing something so sweet!
freebo
07-12-2009, 12:28 PM
Woof.
So sorry to hear of yall's loss, baconwrapped.
Take comfort as you can, that Dave's suffering is over. Hard to accept, but it was his time to go...
I'll toast his spirit, as he'd want.
The lesson, as always, is that every day is a gift. Don't take a moment for granted.
Of course, that's the constant challenge: To live each day fully, as though it were your last.
Peace.
Cleophus
07-13-2009, 03:16 PM
Sorry to hear of Dave's passing, Steve. :(
Baconwrapped
07-13-2009, 03:29 PM
We and a few other friends went to visit Nettie yesterday and she was amazed, touched and very grateful for the heartfelt words from so many here. So thank you all very much for that.
heftone
07-13-2009, 04:05 PM
I just heard about Dave after not hearing anything for several months. Part of me is in self-loathing for not following up sooner but I want to say how grateful I am to have found your postings, Steve and Mary.
In fact, everything in my mind is split at the moment - how unfair that Dave left so young but also how he filled his life with so much of what he loved that it would take me about three more lifetimes to approach Dave's accomplishments.
It was just about 22 years ago when, in addition to many other things in common, we discovered we both had been building our collections of Louisiana music. We shared our finds as well as news of the occasional Southern California gig. But, where my wife and I were apparently content with the what was available locally to supplement memories of our New Orleans honeymoon, Dave and Nettie started making annual trips to Fest and spending the week touring the state (with y'all).
Dave's legacy for me, though, wasn't so much in what he did but in what he tried tirelessly to get everyone else to experience. It was rare that we'd talk without him suggesting something, usually more like 15 things, that he thought I'd like, and then, as we would part he'd typically remember he needed to track down someone else to share with them as well.
When my family and I got our priorities more organized and started coming back to New Orleans, Dave literally served as our guide, helping is with our schedules and preparations ahead of time, meeting us each day at the Fairgrounds to lead us to a few of his favorite acts and snacks, sharing tips on where to stand closest to each stage, and then, when each day was seemingly done, calling to suggest club options for the evening and beyond.
Also before our first Fest, Nettie and Dave had us over to their Westminister house for training and for Nettie's legendary gumbo, and then they loaned us their Mid-City house last year when we went for French Quarter Fest. What they do seems like hospitality but it's really more like advocacy and activism. True saints.
In any case, it's going to take me some time to process this but I wanted to join you here in remembering a great friend to whom I owe many things. Thank you!
Jeff Schneidewind
husb_2ndliner
07-13-2009, 04:07 PM
Steve, Nate here. I am just stunned and saddened to hear of Dave's passing. I was wondering why we didn't see Nettie and Dave this year at Jazz Fest. Please pass to Nettie that Jane and I are thinking of them. It was always a joy to see them at the Savoy's boucherie, at Rock and Bowl, at Jazz Fest. Dave was a true music fan. I always enjoyed talking to him and seeing Nettie and talking to her. Please send me Nettie's email address and snail mail address to nateg@pobox.com
I am just so sad right now.
Bluemon
07-13-2009, 04:21 PM
I just came from the funeral of a life-long friend of mine. Ruby was 95 and ready to move on, but I am still so very sad. Ruby never went to Jazzfest, but she loved New Orleans and sang in a jazz band when she was young.
RIP Dave. I'll think of you and Ruby when I toast tonight. Maybe she's singing you that song about the surrey with the fringe on top that she liked so much.
ChiTownHuck
07-14-2009, 12:12 AM
Rest in peace Dave. Prayers and thoughts to his family and friends.
Baconwrapped
07-14-2009, 12:41 AM
I just heard about Dave after not hearing anything for several months. Part of me is in self-loathing for not following up sooner but I want to say how grateful I am to have found your postings, Steve and Mary.
In fact, everything in my mind is split at the moment - how unfair that Dave left so young but also how he filled his life with so much of what he loved that it would take me about three more lifetimes to approach Dave's accomplishments.
It was just about 22 years ago when, in addition to many other things in common, we discovered we both had been building our collections of Louisiana music. We shared our finds as well as news of the occasional Southern California gig. But, where my wife and I were apparently content with the what was available locally to supplement memories of our New Orleans honeymoon, Dave and Nettie started making annual trips to Fest and spending the week touring the state (with y'all).
Dave's legacy for me, though, wasn't so much in what he did but in what he tried tirelessly to get everyone else to experience. It was rare that we'd talk without him suggesting something, usually more like 15 things, that he thought I'd like, and then, as we would part he'd typically remember he needed to track down someone else to share with them as well.
When my family and I got our priorities more organized and started coming back to New Orleans, Dave literally served as our guide, helping is with our schedules and preparations ahead of time, meeting us each day at the Fairgrounds to lead us to a few of his favorite acts and snacks, sharing tips on where to stand closest to each stage, and then, when each day was seemingly done, calling to suggest club options for the evening and beyond.
Also before our first Fest, Nettie and Dave had us over to their Westminister house for training and for Nettie's legendary gumbo, and then they loaned us their Mid-City house last year when we went for French Quarter Fest. What they do seems like hospitality but it's really more like advocacy and activism. True saints.
In any case, it's going to take me some time to process this but I wanted to join you here in remembering a great friend to whom I owe many things. Thank you!
Jeff Schneidewind
Jeff, what a great note. So sorry you had to find out this way... but so glad you got to share Dave's NOLA passion... not to mention enjoy our house!!
Baconwrapped
07-14-2009, 12:43 AM
Steve, Nate here. I am just stunned and saddened to hear of Dave's passing. I was wondering why we didn't see Nettie and Dave this year at Jazz Fest. Please pass to Nettie that Jane and I are thinking of them. It was always a joy to see them at the Savoy's boucherie, at Rock and Bowl, at Jazz Fest. Dave was a true music fan. I always enjoyed talking to him and seeing Nettie and talking to her. Please send me Nettie's email address and snail mail address to nateg@pobox.com
I am just so sad right now.
Nate, you guys had the great pleasure of knowing Dave in those contexts, where his smile and laugh just lit everything up. I just emailed you some info and I know Nettie will be very glad to hear from you.