July 29, 1976 – Jan. 24, 2014

Beautiful inside and out, she brought light in both life and death

REMEMBERING | Patrick Yeagle

She died too soon, but even in death, she brought a beautiful gift into the world.

Carrie David died Jan. 24, 2014 while giving birth to her first daughter, Piper Jane David. She was a teacher, but her lessons extended well beyond the classroom.

Carrie Risdon David was born on July 29, 1976, in Burlington, Iowa. She graduated from Taylorville High School and went to college for drama but wound up becoming a teacher instead. Carrie taught at Pleasant Plains Middle School until her abrupt death on Jan. 24.

Andy David, Carrie’s husband, describes Carrie as well-read, articulate and “Bohemian,” with a “goofball” sense of humor and a magnetic personality.

“You knew right away when you talked to her that she was intelligent,” he said.

Andy says he never expected someone like Carrie to notice him, much less marry him.

“She was just the coolest person I ever met,” he said.

They met while Carrie was on a blind date with someone else. Andy got her number, but he didn’t call her for two months because he was focused on his nursing studies. Apparently tired of waiting, she took the first step and called him.

Julie McGrath, one of Carrie’s best friends of 20 years, says Carrie “didn’t wait for you to come to her.”

“She found you, and she was a big, happy, confident personality,” Julie said. “She was so much fun. You were hooked instantly.”

Carrie secretly wanted to be a playwright because she loved the art of writing and telling stories, Andy says. He recalls her distaste for musical theater because of the melodramatic acting, and he laughs as he remembers making fun of a play they went to see while they were dating.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is my kind of woman,’ ” Andy said.

Andy eventually proposed to Carrie at Pleasant Plains Middle School, in front of her class.

“I had never seen her so happy,” said Diane Bensko, a friend and coworker of Carrie at Pleasant Plains.

Diane says Carrie was always bubbly and friendly with her students, but she was also attentive and passionate about their well-being.

“She was always an advocate for the downtrodden,” Diane said. “She had a special gift that she could spot that kid who needed the extra attention, needed some new shoes or whatever. She just had that hunch.”

Andy says that intense devotion to her students sometimes meant sacrifice for Carrie. She often skipped lunch to give students extra help, he said, and she worked tirelessly to help them succeed.

“I think her philosophy was that she believed in every single child in her classroom,” he said. “She lost a lot of sleep over her kids, both literally and figuratively.”

Diane says Carrie taught her to take risks in life and get out of her comfort zone.

“I’m a rule follower, and she would always tease me about taking chances,” Diane said.

After Carrie’s death, Diane and her daughter drove the Pacific Coast Highway to honor Carrie’s memory.

“It was sort of a bucket list trip, and nothing we did was normal,” Diane said with a laugh. “The whole time, I was saying, ‘How’s that, Carrie?’ I knew she’d be pleased.”

Julie, Carrie’s friend of 20 years, says Carrie let nothing stop her, and her determination was contagious.

“She taught you to live life to the fullest, not to wait for happiness or someone to bring it to you,” Julie said. “She was the princess who saved herself.”

Bonnie Cartwright worked with Carrie at Pleasant Plains before Bonnie retired. Bonnie says she admired Carrie “from day one” because she had a heart of gold and respected the abilities of everyone she met.

“She had a way that she could make everybody feel good,” Bonnie said. “She took great care of everybody else, and I miss her deeply.”

Carrie brought out the best in everyone, both her students and her co-workers, Bonnie says.

“She was a person who really put the interests of her students first,” Bonnie said. “She worked long hours and got each of them to give the best they could give.”

Andy says one of the things he misses most about Carrie is her sense of humor, which she expressed in funny signs, “crazy hats and scarves” and gentle teasing. He says Carrie was “hilarious” and always sticking her tongue out.

“She had such a sarcastic sense of humor, but she still gave people the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “Everybody just kind of rose to her level when she was around.”

Despite Carrie’s death due to giving birth, Andy says he’s thankful that their daughter, Piper, is “beautiful and healthy.” Andy says he’s also thankful for the memories he has with Carrie.

“I’m just really lucky to be the one to marry her,” he said. “She was a star.”

Contact Patrick Yeagle at pyeagle@ illinoistimes.com.