Deryl Redden
Hi Linda: This is for you!David was on my mind again this weekend. I was actually searching for a OU Architectural School mate who I had not seen since university days Brett Karson. He was from Chicago. Well I found his Obituary too. It was in September of 2014. It seems that Ray James, David and Brett all passed within a few months of each other! It just lets you know how short life if and how blessed each day is that GOD gives us!As you know, David and I started at Ray James associates along with Gary Cooper and Tony Cisneros. I often wonder where Tony is. (If you know where Tony is, I would like to say Hi). Gary still lives in Ada. We all had a great apprenticeship under Ray James. Another giving man and gift to us all. I was 18 and David 21. Then, I went to Architectural school at OU and later after graduation in a few years, David and I met and he hired me with McCune & McCune Partners in Tulsa with later became McCune Parters, Inc.I later started my company in Edmond, OK. I would get architectural work in Henryetta, OK and David and I would laugh about it, since it was his hometown and seemed never to get work there and he always wondered how I did it. My Secret? I just had a little help from Kent Pharaoh! Also a great man from Henryetta, OK. Great people come from great God loving families in small towns in America!Later I moved to California during a downturn in the economy and I called David and convinced him to come to California and let me introduce him to some people in the education business that I knew that had new school work. David came and took the initiative from there at LAUSD, Long Beach and Chino. We had some good times. I was so pleased that I could help him during the tough Oklahoma downturn.In December of 2015, there were some new school bond programs that I aware of and wanted to let David know about them. So I called his California office and then the Tulsa office and both had been disconnected. I thought, "Well, David must have retired"! He always said he was going to retire early. So, I was going to Google his home phone number. That is when I found David's passing! My heart broke! I loved this man!The last time I saw David was on a connector flight from Las Vegas to Ontario in 2011. I had not seen him or spoken to in in some 12 years. Too long! He sat in first class and I came on board the plane late and I saw him in the first seat in first class but he did not see me, so as I passed him I bumped him on the shoulder and said "Hi Okie" a smile came to his face and he said " DERYL! I was sitting in the rear of the plane and when we landed, David was waiting to greet me in the terminal as I was one of the last to come out. David was just that type of man! A caring, accommodating, giving person and generous with his time!David was a "Dear Friend" never to be forgotten. Always cheerful and always close to GOD! He kept his Bible near at all times and it was well worn and used if you ever saw it.David helped me several times during times of need. As I did for him too. We were friends. He was a great man!I know that he was so proud of you too Linda! He was always thinking of you when he was here in California and saying I need to call Linda. I know you were the best for him too! It was not easy for you or David and him having to run two offices in two states and having to be away from you and the kids. "Thank You" for supporting him through the years.David and I had a lot in common as I have read. We both lived in Ada, OK., my home town, we both went to East Central State College, we both started at Ray James Architects, we worked together McCune & McCune, MPI and KPI, we both were in the High School bands (I was a drummer and in a marching band too), both pilots, both loved the Salvation Army (I actually grew up in that Salvation Army at an early age), both achievers, both givers and both GOD Believers.David is MISSED!I look forward to seeing David again in Heaven.The Lord Jesus Christ holds our souls (Our days) in his hands. We do not know I time. But I know that David is doing w