David Paskoff

DURHAM- Dave Paskoff, 99, of Durham, passed away on August 15, 2018. He was born on May 29, 1919. He grew up in a Brooklyn with cable cars, horse drawn carts going down brick and unpaved streets, and the ice-man coming to deliver ice for the kitchen ice-box. After graduating from Jefferson High School he started Brooklyn College before the streets were all paved. He left during his second year in order to work to support his family. He worked through programs set up by President Roosevelt to put people to work during the depression. He moved around the country from Maine, to Wisconsin to Texas until finally going back to Brooklyn when his sister contacted him to let him know that the Army was looking for him. He had been drafted to defend the US in World War II. He served as a corporal in what was then called the Army Air Force as a radio man. One of his duties was guiding planes back to base after bombing raids. His unit, the 379th fighter squadron, followed Patton around Europe until the end of the war in Europe. As he was preparing to be shipped to the South Pacific the atom bomb was dropped and the Pacific war ended. He married Ann Dembrowsky in 1946. They were married, and were best friends, for nearly 70 years. She passed away in September 2016.
He worked in the sheet metal industry most of his career in New York City. Ann and Dave moved to Raleigh in 1974, the day President Nixon resigned, where he continued his sheet metal work for a few years. At sixty he started a 20 year career at Northern Telecom assembling and inspecting circuit boards working up to a supervisor position. After he retired at age 80, he volunteered for 10 years at Raleigh Duke Hospital. He loved his work and lived to help people. He never made an enemy. He loved his children and grandchildren more than anything in the world.
Besides his wife, David is preceded in death by his parents, Nathan and Sophie Paskoff, his two brothers (Benjamin and Irving) and his two sisters (Ann and Augusta). He is survived by his two sons, Paul Paskoff (Debbie) of Fort Mill, SC, and Stan Paskoff (Penny) of Durham NC, and grandchildren Laura Paskoff and Sam Paskoff of Raleigh.
Funeral services will be at 11 am, Friday, August 17, at the Judea Reform Congregation Cemetery, located a few miles southwest of Carrboro at 2560 Jones Ferry Road, Chapel Hill. The services will be followed by a meal of consolation at the home of Stan and Penny Paskoff, 5721 Williamsburg Way, in Durham.