David Flood

Waynesville, David Newell Flood, age 97, passed away on December 3, 2020.

David was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 7, 1923, to Helen Decker Flood and H. Grattan Flood.  He graduated from Birch Wathen School in New York City and earned his BA in art and MA in education from Yale University in 1947.

His college studies were interrupted by his military service during WWII, where he served as PFC in the 853rd Engineer BN Aviation Corps of Engineers and was a survivor of the HMT Rohna bombing on Thanksgiving Day 1943, which was the deadliest military transport disaster at sea in the history of US war.

David married Grace Bunnell in 1948 in Middlefield, Connecticut.  They began their new life together in Bethany Woods, in a house David had designed.  The next 40 years included moves within Connecticut and to New Jersey, Florida and finally, in 1989, to North Carolina, the place they had decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives.

David worked as an industrial designer for several companies, the last being Jim Walter Research, putting his creative touch on literally everything from top to bottom-roofing shingles to the patterns on the sole of our shoes.  Throughout his life he was involved in his community.  He was a member and later president of the Mendham, New Jersey school board, where he also lent his talents in helping design the new Mountainview School. In Mendham he was also on the town library board.

David and Grace have been long term members of Elizabeth Chapel United Methodist Church in Waynesville, where David taught the adult Sunday school class and was council chair.

When many would have retired, David demonstrated his strong work ethic as a deliverer for the Waynesville Mountaineer.  He continued in this role until the age of 93.

David's true calling in life was his family.  He is survived by his wife, Grace, to whom he was devoted for over 72 years. They had a marriage most of us only aspire to.  He was a brilliant man, his family's "Google" before the internet , having the answers to most any question we could come up with.  He was artistic, creative, kind and generous, and humble, a gentle and thoughtful man who could create or fix most anything and who will be sorely missed by Grace and his children- Janette, Cynthia (Chris) and Bruce, his grandchildren Meadow, Carson, (at whose wedding David was best man), Ian, Liam, Jessica and Natalie and great-grandchildren Tori, Jacob and Carrah.

A memorial service will be held at Elizabeth Chapel at a later date, when it is safe for us to gather to celebrate David's life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Elizabeth Chapel United Methodist Church, General Fund: 98 Elizabeth Chapel Rd, Waynesville, NC 28786

The care of Mr. Flood has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes.