Dave Goyette

Scotia - A force of love and light in the world will now live on as a legacy with the passing of Dave Goyette of Scotia, NY on December 28, 2019 at the age of 61.  Dave lived life embracing each moment to the fullest.  He fought his battle with a rare and aggressive lymphoma the same way he faced opponents on the basketball court.  Even when faced with serious bone marrow transplant complications, his fitness and mental toughness kept him in the game, far exceeding physicians’ expectations; tragically it was not enough.  As in life, his adoring wife and best friend of 28 years, Gloria Kavanah, was by his side, and their love for each other inspired everyone they encountered, even in Dave’s final hours.  They were inseparable, like Ernest and Vern; “know what I mean?”

Dave was the son of Jeanne and the late Joseph Goyette; the brother/brother-in-law of Mike and Donna Goyette, Matt and Juanita Goyette, Andy and Debbie Goyette, Larry Goyette, and Dan and the late Kathy Napoli; godfather and uncle of Michael Goyette, Andrea Goyette, and Lisa Johnson; the treasured friend of Leah Kuster Munroe and Ali Kuster McClarnon, Dave and Trish Przybylo, George Robinson, Rick DiBlasi, and John Kolach, and Gloria’s sisters Ann and Marcia Mandi and the Fox family.  He was beloved by the Bruhns and their Thermal Environment Sales family, where he worked for 37 years.  The love and support Dave and Gloria received from the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Scotia) community sustained them on this journey.

Dave was an amazing athlete and fierce competitor.  His pinnacle hoop achievement was in 2017 when he and his over 55 team, the Albany Machine, won the gold medal at the National Senior Games and Dave was the MVP of the final game.  He also won numerous other hoop tournaments throughout the eastern United States and in the Colonie Senior Basketball League, where he was high scorer for multiple seasons.  Dave was known for his relentless defense and sharp shot from anywhere on the court.  He was an avid bass and saltwater fisherman and won numerous tournaments and awards as a member of the Capital District Bassmasters.  Dave was especially proud of the records he held in the squirrel relocation program.

As with everything else he set his mind to, Dave fulfilled his lifelong dream of being a teacher.  At the age of 49 he graduated Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Oswego with a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education.  He created the curriculum and the lab for the Fulton Montgomery Community College HVAC/R program, and taught the courses for several years.  Typical of Dave in every aspect of his life, he believed in his students and inspired them to achieve, as demonstrated by the numerous messages of gratitude he received from them.

Dave’s light of love shined on everyone he met.  He always had a witty comment and sly smile.  Dave loved his extensive travel adventures with Gloria throughout Latin America, including their trip to Easter Island, playing tejo and their visit with the isolated Kogi in Colombia, and volcano hiking in Guatemala.  It was a remarkable gift to watch Dave engage with others, even when they did not speak the same language.  People simply sensed his pure goodness and responded to it.

Dave’s legacy as a teacher will continue if we live our lives like he did: to the fullest and with goodness.   

Gloria expresses her deepest gratitude to Dr. Andrew Zelenetz and Dr. Craig Sauter, nurses Lori Lane, Rafael LoBasso, Jenny Tamm, and Nelson Ramos, as well as the entire M7 staff at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

Donations to honor Dave’s memory can be made to The Dave Goyette Memorial Scholarship Fund, 601 Beacon Street, Scotia, NY 12302.

A memorial celebration of Dave will be held Friday, January 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., at The Terrace @ The Waters Edge Lighthouse, 2 Freemans Bridge Road, Glenville, NY.  (Parking is behind the Lighthouse.)  It is a celebration of Dave’s life so if you are attending, it would please Dave and Gloria if you dressed in attire that expresses the “you” that Dave knew.   For directions, or to leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.CannonFuneral.com