Dave Stoddart ~ 1947 - 2022

Dave Stoddart was born on January 30, 1947, and passed away on December 12, 2022.

Dave and Linda met when he answered an ad in the Sacramento Bee she placed, wanting to sell her 1966 VW bug. Dave wanted to build a dune buggy. They agreed, over the course of their happy 38 years together, that "It was love at first sight."

Dave was adventurous. Before they met he was an avid hang glider, flying Fort Funston, Big Sur, Yosemite, Clear Lake, Lover’s Leap, and one memorable trip from Kingsbury to Slide Mountain, where the group of 15 stopped for lunch and then continued to Boomtown Casino. The owner had put out the word that he would buy a case of beer for any hang glider that landed in the parking lot. Dave was never a beer drinker but anything for a bet, I guess.

When Dave & Linda moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1994 she was setting up the computer and asked, what should be our email? And he said, "tahoeoldtimer." So she used that on Hotmail and it stuck as a name his fishing friends called him. Although some, Including John Shearer, called him Davey.

He was a man uniquely himself, strong, opinionated, honest and honorable, gregarious, and always willing to stop and chat. He was a loyal friend, beloved by both his female and male friends. He was tender with young children, even though he and Linda chose not to have any.

He will forever be in my heart and soul. I miss him desperately but am so lucky to have had thirty-eight years with him.

- Linda Stoddart
tahoeoldtimer@gmail.com