Obituary of David William Godbold

David was born in London, England, on March 1^st, 1946. He passed away on May 28^th, 2021, in Reston, VA USA, after a two-year battle with Bulbar ALS, which was triggered when oral surgery for what should have been a common-place tooth extraction went badly wrong and caused severe nerve damage. Just prior to the surgery, David ran a marathon and did a 50-mile bicycle ride. His wife of 40 years, Helen, was by his side as he took his last breath. He is survived by his wife, Helen, his mother Marion and sister Jean in the UK, and family in Australia Michaela (SiL), Rex (BiL), Judy (Co-SiL), Alex (nephew) and Zoe (niece).

David had a great thirst for knowledge and a huge range of interests, activities, and accomplishments.

He studied history at college, and non-fiction was the only book type he read. After college, he partnered with a friend and opened a bar in Spain which proved to be less financially viable than hoped so he returned to England and joined ICL Computers and started a 45 year profession in IT. He worked for ICL in England, South Africa, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and for the last 30 years, in the USA. 

He was a natural athlete and was happiest outdoors – regardless of the weather - running, cycling, skiing (water or snow depending on the season), swimming, playing tennis, sailing, windsurfing. He ran many marathons – often with limited training such was his endurance and athleticism. He loved the water and did not like being far from the ocean. He was an avid sailor and owned several boats – each one larger than before, and crewed with others, including doing many ocean races in the UK, Australia, and the USA.  His quick thinking, and sailing experience and expertise proved invaluable in more than one harrowing moment in the middle of the ocean.

He loved to travel and visited over 50 countries in his lifetime He went to Berlin when the wall was coming down and actually climbed on top of it – with the permission of the soldiers – and joined in the celebrations on top.  He was in Hong Kong when the Union Jack came down.  He explored the Nile; hiked the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea; drove or flew all over Europe; and traveled extensively in the Middle East and Asia. He loved antique maps and after visiting a new country, he would search for an antique map, creating a very comprehensive antique map collection.

He learned to fly while still a teenager and his dream was to own his own plane, which was his plan when he retired. But he never got to retire. He loved working and was still employed when he passed away. He worked up until he no longer had the muscle strength to use the keyboard on his computer.

He was a beer connoisseur and combined this passion with his love of running as a lifelong member of the Hash House Harriers. He ran with them in many countries and with the DC Hash, is credited with introducing many of its members to what he called “decent beer”. They came to appreciate the glass or two of really good beer, rather than their usual multiple glasses of something far less appetizing. He was still attending Hash Meets on his mobility scooter up until a month before his passing even though he could no longer run, talk, or have a beer. Bulbar ALS robs you of the ability to speak, swallow, walk and eventually to move because of the muscle atrophy. 

Throughout the two-year ordeal of terrible physical and mental suffering, he never complained, which is testament to the great and wonderful man that he was.  He will be missed by many.

To remember David, and help others suffering the same disease, please contribute, in his name, to https://teamgleason.org/donate/