RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Members of the 435th Comptroller Squadron on Thursday remembered a contractor known for his one-liners and knack for solving computer snafus in a pinch.
David Mear died of a heart attack in Kindsbach on March 31. He was 48. He worked in the squadron as the regional manager for the Computer Sciences Corporation.
More than 100 people gathered at Ramstein’s Donnelly Park for a memorial ceremony honoring Mear.
In his nearly three years with the unit, Mear developed a reputation as a “generous and gentle spirit,” friends said. He was able to repair computers many thought were impossible to fix and worked long hours to get the job done.
“I can truly say I’ve never heard him raise his voice in the two years I knew him, I never heard him say a mean thing about anyone, and I never heard him say ‘no’ to someone asking for help,” squadron commander Lt. Col. John Long said.
The Midland, Texas, native, who served in the Army, was the “go-to person” on any computer issue in the unit, but looked at working with the squadron as more than just a job. He was influential in designing the squadron’s commemorative coin, and he volunteered his extra time to cheering up wounded troops who passed through Ramstein from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“David enjoyed helping anybody, anytime, anyplace,” friend Theresa Sorenson said.
The United Service Organizations plans to put a plaque in memory of Mear’s service at a base holding area for wounded servicemembers. The plaque will hang in the computer area.
