Obituary for David Joe Ladurini
David Joe Ladurini 13 April 1946 - 6 February 2023 A son of Walsenburg returns David Ladurini, son of Virgil and Irene Ladurini has returned to join his parents and sister, in the Love of the Lord, after a long hard battle with heart disease. He had a full life of accomplishments and service to our nation. He is survived by his wife, two dogs, a cat and friends around the world.
David’s life started revolving around flying early. He got a private license in high school and through college flew planes in mail deliveries and gas runs whenever possible. Following graduation in 1964, from Walsenburg High School, he gained a degree as an Aeronautical Engineer from Adams State in 1968 and immediately set off to the United States Air Force to fly for the country. Dave became a Weapon System’s Operator in the F-4 Phantom. It took a couple years to get rated and checked out and then he was off to Thailand to fight in the Viet Nam war from April 1972 to April 1973. With his special genius, he became “the” expert in the newest and most complex systems being fielded. He was in the middle of every complex and dangerous mission the AF undertook. He earned over two dozen combat decorations for his heroism and accomplishments.
After a year of flying combat, he joined the Operational Testing community at Eglin AFB, Florida where he helped develop the future technologies of the best Air Force on earth. His work included developing weapons for the air forces of the world.
Dave left the AF in 1979 and worked in the aerospace industry in Texas. He joined the Louisiana Air National Guard, flying the F-4 again, still defending the US from 1980 until 1984. During this Texas time, he met and married his love in life, Cindy Sue Alexander, a Texas bundle of energy in her own right.
In 1985 they moved to Connecticut. Dave carried on with research and development with Norton Industries. He was the director of flight test with many projects, one of which was to radically enhance the capabilities of the Israeli F-4. Cindy established herself in the New York garment industry and made quite a good name for herself. Dave and Cindy have many lifelong friends from that time period. This team left the NE for the Gulf coast in 1987 and changed from industry to working for themselves. They built a beautiful home on the water in Niceville, Florida. Dave had always had a sailboat from his time there during his test flying days. They upgraded the sailboat and parked it behind the new house. Dave did a little consulting for the aerospace industry, but they bought a sail loft called Sabre Sails. A lifelong love of sailing and needing sails led to this business. About this time Dave and Cindy met the Yates’ boys, Travis and Justin. The boys, sons of Dave and Kathy Yates, were heavy into sailing. Dave and Dave Yates met in the war and became lifelong friends. The Ladurini’s “absconded” the boys and claimed them as ‘the sons they never had.’ This relationship still exists. The two families are intertwined closely.
A hurricane wiped out the small loft in 1995 leading to them build a larger new loft. They went from making local sails and boat accessories, canvass products, to being one of the largest lofts in the SE with customers around the world. Dave designed sails for many lofts around the world and made local sails while Cindy expanded from making, not only boat canvass, but to doing outdoor canvass work for some of the most exclusive resort developments along the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Seaside, on 30A, was one of the customers.
With the business going gangbusters, they sold and retired to build a house to retire in. The house on the water was getting too small for the animals they supported. A couple dogs, a cat, ferrets, and birds and by then a couple horses housed nearby.
With proceeds from a house and a business they bought a horse ranch. They started by building an apartment in a barn, in the middle of a horse/cattle pasture, to live while they built a nice home on the other half of land. It took a bit of time and was close living. Cindy started working for an insurance company to get away from the closeness. Dave pestered the builder, horses, and cattle no end completing the house. It came out the horses went from being lived with to living with Dave and Cindy. The about 90 acres includes a few ponds that range from small to large, a corral or two, the old barn, a new barn and a couple pole barns. Dave spent a bundle of time driving the many “toys” necessary to run the ranch; An excavator, tractor, several rovers, trucks and more. He lived in this small slice of heaven for his last years.
When the heart problems started a few years ago, Cindy retired from being the best salesperson in Niceville to be a dog, cat, horse and Dave care person. She spoiled all of those in her care. Dave continued his life of testing for mankind becoming “lab rat #5” in development of new technologies for the medical industry. He went through constant tests and operations to stretch out his life. In the end he endured everything known to man, literally. And when the doctors said there was nothing else, and meant it, Dave did what he always had done: He moved to the next mission and said, ‘ok, let’s go. Bring me a priest.’ That done he demanded to be unhooked and off drugs to get on with it.
He arose from a near coma after a day of working on leaving (semi coma) and kissed and hugged all the women in the room, said goodbye to the men, had a nice discussion with the Lord to remind him he was still waiting… then asked those in attendance, “why am I still here?” He promptly went back under. He stirred once more asked, I am I in heaven,’ when told ‘not yet,’ he asked for coco, then went back to sleep. It took another few hours and he departed on his last flight.
Dave would implore you to “no crying for me.” He would point out it was a heck of ride and he got it all. Cindy does not want anything like flowers. It will be cold in Walsenburg at the burial with graveside service only. They would not last a minute in a service that will last a quarter hour. Both of them would say to you, ‘if you feel the need to give, choose your favorite charity and remember Dave if you give something to it.’
At cemetery he will join his parents and sister in a mausoleum his father built. Cindy will throw a celebration of life party sometime in the near future, at the ranch in Florida. Time and date yet to be decided. Arrangements made by Boies-Ortega Funeral Home.
David’s life started revolving around flying early. He got a private license in high school and through college flew planes in mail deliveries and gas runs whenever possible. Following graduation in 1964, from Walsenburg High School, he gained a degree as an Aeronautical Engineer from Adams State in 1968 and immediately set off to the United States Air Force to fly for the country. Dave became a Weapon System’s Operator in the F-4 Phantom. It took a couple years to get rated and checked out and then he was off to Thailand to fight in the Viet Nam war from April 1972 to April 1973. With his special genius, he became “the” expert in the newest and most complex systems being fielded. He was in the middle of every complex and dangerous mission the AF undertook. He earned over two dozen combat decorations for his heroism and accomplishments.
After a year of flying combat, he joined the Operational Testing community at Eglin AFB, Florida where he helped develop the future technologies of the best Air Force on earth. His work included developing weapons for the air forces of the world.
Dave left the AF in 1979 and worked in the aerospace industry in Texas. He joined the Louisiana Air National Guard, flying the F-4 again, still defending the US from 1980 until 1984. During this Texas time, he met and married his love in life, Cindy Sue Alexander, a Texas bundle of energy in her own right.
In 1985 they moved to Connecticut. Dave carried on with research and development with Norton Industries. He was the director of flight test with many projects, one of which was to radically enhance the capabilities of the Israeli F-4. Cindy established herself in the New York garment industry and made quite a good name for herself. Dave and Cindy have many lifelong friends from that time period. This team left the NE for the Gulf coast in 1987 and changed from industry to working for themselves. They built a beautiful home on the water in Niceville, Florida. Dave had always had a sailboat from his time there during his test flying days. They upgraded the sailboat and parked it behind the new house. Dave did a little consulting for the aerospace industry, but they bought a sail loft called Sabre Sails. A lifelong love of sailing and needing sails led to this business. About this time Dave and Cindy met the Yates’ boys, Travis and Justin. The boys, sons of Dave and Kathy Yates, were heavy into sailing. Dave and Dave Yates met in the war and became lifelong friends. The Ladurini’s “absconded” the boys and claimed them as ‘the sons they never had.’ This relationship still exists. The two families are intertwined closely.
A hurricane wiped out the small loft in 1995 leading to them build a larger new loft. They went from making local sails and boat accessories, canvass products, to being one of the largest lofts in the SE with customers around the world. Dave designed sails for many lofts around the world and made local sails while Cindy expanded from making, not only boat canvass, but to doing outdoor canvass work for some of the most exclusive resort developments along the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Seaside, on 30A, was one of the customers.
With the business going gangbusters, they sold and retired to build a house to retire in. The house on the water was getting too small for the animals they supported. A couple dogs, a cat, ferrets, and birds and by then a couple horses housed nearby.
With proceeds from a house and a business they bought a horse ranch. They started by building an apartment in a barn, in the middle of a horse/cattle pasture, to live while they built a nice home on the other half of land. It took a bit of time and was close living. Cindy started working for an insurance company to get away from the closeness. Dave pestered the builder, horses, and cattle no end completing the house. It came out the horses went from being lived with to living with Dave and Cindy. The about 90 acres includes a few ponds that range from small to large, a corral or two, the old barn, a new barn and a couple pole barns. Dave spent a bundle of time driving the many “toys” necessary to run the ranch; An excavator, tractor, several rovers, trucks and more. He lived in this small slice of heaven for his last years.
When the heart problems started a few years ago, Cindy retired from being the best salesperson in Niceville to be a dog, cat, horse and Dave care person. She spoiled all of those in her care. Dave continued his life of testing for mankind becoming “lab rat #5” in development of new technologies for the medical industry. He went through constant tests and operations to stretch out his life. In the end he endured everything known to man, literally. And when the doctors said there was nothing else, and meant it, Dave did what he always had done: He moved to the next mission and said, ‘ok, let’s go. Bring me a priest.’ That done he demanded to be unhooked and off drugs to get on with it.
He arose from a near coma after a day of working on leaving (semi coma) and kissed and hugged all the women in the room, said goodbye to the men, had a nice discussion with the Lord to remind him he was still waiting… then asked those in attendance, “why am I still here?” He promptly went back under. He stirred once more asked, I am I in heaven,’ when told ‘not yet,’ he asked for coco, then went back to sleep. It took another few hours and he departed on his last flight.
Dave would implore you to “no crying for me.” He would point out it was a heck of ride and he got it all. Cindy does not want anything like flowers. It will be cold in Walsenburg at the burial with graveside service only. They would not last a minute in a service that will last a quarter hour. Both of them would say to you, ‘if you feel the need to give, choose your favorite charity and remember Dave if you give something to it.’
At cemetery he will join his parents and sister in a mausoleum his father built. Cindy will throw a celebration of life party sometime in the near future, at the ranch in Florida. Time and date yet to be decided. Arrangements made by Boies-Ortega Funeral Home.