David “Dave” Eugene Flake

David “Dave” Eugene Flake was born to Donald and Mary Lou Flake on May 31, 1953 in Bakersfield, CA. The youngest of six kids in a blended family, he was a sociable and active child, often playing sports and getting into mischief with his twin brother, Dan. Due to the oil boom, his family moved to Farmington, New Mexico in the 1950s, where he graduated from Farmington High School in 1971. He moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1971 and attended both computer school and Arizona State University, earning his B.S. in Accounting in 1980. He went on to a successful career in telecommunications and was planning to retire in 2023. He passed away peacefully on October 31, 2022 after a series of health complications.

Dave was blessed to have a large and loving family. He married the love of his life, Barbara Walcott Flake, on June 9, 1984 and went on to have three children: Michael (33), Caitlin (32), and Shannon (28). Barbara and Dave themselves came from large families; Dave felt blessed to have many siblings, siblings-in-law, and supportive, kind parents-in-law. Dave will always be remembered as a loving husband and being a fun, goofy, and supportive father, instilling kindness, inclusivity, discipline, and a strong work ethic into his children. In addition to his family, he also loved his beloved Labrador retriever Sandy and eight cats: Whiskers, Bailey, Maddie, Holly, Middie, Gizzie, Allie, and Little Kitty.

Dave will also be remembered for his love of ASU football, golf, and tennis. He was an avid and devoted ASU football fan and was often reprimanded by his family for his charismatic reactions during games. He played golf for most of his life and enjoyed finding and playing new courses. Dave was a natural born teacher, who loved teaching tennis so much that he accidentally turned his favorite pastime into a coaching side hustle he enjoyed for more than eight years. He was well-loved by his tennis students and their families. He will be missed by all he impacted in his time as a coach.

Dave is survived by his wife, Barbara Walcott Flake; his children, Michael Flake, Caitlin Waldrep (son-in-law JT Waldrep), and Shannon Flake; his brothers, Tim Flake (sister-in-law Claudia Flake) and Dan Flake; his father-in-law, Roger Walcott; and his siblings-in-law: Gwen and Carol Walcott; John and Carrie Walcott; Ed and Sue Bull; Randy and Ellen Page; Greg and Nancy Hebert; Arthur (Sonny) and Elaine Szczesniak, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Mary Lou Flake; his mother-in-law, Marie Walcott; and his siblings, Jim Flake, Sherry Hanna (brother-in-law, Charlie Hanna), and Gary Flake.

The following events will be held in Dave’s honor: A Celebration of Life event will be held at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road in Phoenix on Friday, November 11, 2022 from 5:00-7:00 PM, followed by a funeral Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 2312 E. Campbell Avenue in Phoenix on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 10:00 AM.