CRAFTSBURY – Never a fan of mornings, David Baron Linck (80) departed his final one early Friday, August 8. He went to the Great Mallard with his bride of 52 years by his side, two children and three grandchildren wishing him peace.
Dave spent his childhood at West Point, the eldest of six boys who regarded it as their personal playground/hunting ground. For one year of high school he lived with relatives in Finland, cultivating his lifelong affinity for saunas. Dave graduated from Union College and earned his Masters at Syracuse University. As an undergrad he made the papers by trying (and failing, explosively) to produce gunpowder in his fraternity house. For many summers he led canoe trips from Raquette Lake, N.Y., as a Lynx Camp counselor, optimistically planning to find fish and blueberries for at least one day’s rations. Though he was sometimes lost, he never lost a camper.
When he “grew up” (chronologically speaking) Dave taught for decades at Sterling College, joined Herrick’s Rangers to re-enact the Revolutionary War, kept bees and was active in the Craftsbury Historical Society. He also worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which gave him an excuse to scamper through streams at his beloved West Point with his children in tow as assistants. After retiring from Sterling he became a devoted metal detector, always a pirate at heart.
Dave will be remembered by all his students and friends for his sense of play. He delighted in building toys: from trains, ships, swings, castles, rockets, treasure hunts and puzzles to an exact replica of each grandchild’s barn. Few people have had so much fun or so many interests. No one has ever put so many notes and plastic army men inside fish for their dissection classes. Other people have said “arrrrgh” and worn an eyepatch, but how many have worn two eyepatches, sailing a cannon and a chicken down the Hudson River in a homemade boat with their kids? The man had a good run.
Dave is survived by his wife Jane, children Jennifer and Robert, grandchildren Stig, Posey and Alice, and by his brothers Alan, Dana, Walter and Bob Linck, plus Irwin Langer. He was predeceased by his brother Jon and nephews Nathan and Sean. While the family works out details for a fall memorial, they suggest three ways to honor Dave Linck. Be silly: build a pillow fort. Be practical; donate to the Craftsbury Historical Society. Be considerate: if you are driving too slowly and someone wants to pass you, pull over.
Damn…another great man leaves for the great mystery. Dave was my professor at Sterling. Loved his sense of humor, his quirky personality, and joined in is love of nature. I remember shooting black powder arms with him, and enjoyed the sauna he advised students to built. Keep shooting, hiking and cracking wise, you will be missed.
Brings back wonderful memories, including the sail canoe on Sacandaga Lake, chanting Odin, Odin, give us a wind. Being the oldest girl cousin, I now move up to the eldest cousin chair. Dave will be missed.I will be sure to play pirates with my young grandchildren!
David was a well-loved member of HFHS and the West Point communities. I still can see him playing the bugle and running up the stairs in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. He perfectly played the crazy uncle. Condolences to his family.
Thank you, Jessie. We found a photo of him in “Arsenic” that we will have on display at his memorial. Glad your memories are so long and strong.
David Linck was my childhood neighbor and one of my best friends growing up at West Point. Voted “Most Likely to Succeed”, David was Valedictorian of our Highland Falls High School Class of 1963. Over the years, his antics at reunions were memorable.
My husband Frank and I send deepest condolences to his wife and family and all his loved ones. He will be deeply missed.
Thank you. Dad always called you “Dorrie,” so that’s how I think of you, too!
As a Herrick’s Regiment soldier, I met and had a lot of fun with Dave over my four decades of re-enacting. He was all the above and more. Truly I’d like to say he was ‘one of a kind’ in a field where we have so many with eclectic interests.
To Jane & Family, my deepest condolences on Dave’s passing. I was fortunate to visit with him in 2023 before his disease fully took hold of his life. I had a great visit with him that February day as he was still the Dave I always knew. He was a great friend and professor at Sterling. His passion for life was always evident as was the love for his family. I will always remember and revere the times we shared together, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, winter camping, working the sugarbush, and in the woodlot. I remember how excited he was to receive the mounted birds and animals when I would deliver them to him. His love of all things outdoors and sharing his knowledge with everyone was one of his great contributions. He will be greatly missed. Godspeed my friend! RIP
Dave’s wake up call on second morning of winter expedition 1977, 22 below zero!!
Dave had a remarkable ability to make learning joyful, thought-provoking, and deeply connected to the world around us. He didn’t just teach a subject—he taught us to be curious, to notice, and to appreciate the richness of the living experience. I’ll never forget the moment he, with complete seriousness and a twinkle in his eye, tried to convince a student that we were all ‘avid hunters’—hunting avids. It was playful, never malicious, and perfectly captured his unique blend of humor and intellect. His passion for fun and fascination left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to learn from him.
After 40 years of life lessons following my time at Sterling with Dave, I regularly reflect on the lesson of fun above all else: live for the moment, enjoy every second, and learn what you live. Thank you, Dave for that small, but profound lesson in this life.
I was a student at Sterling from 92′ to 94′. Dave was the teacher to visit me at my internship at Tall Timbers, Tallahassee FL in the fall of 93′. As always with nature, he was extremely curious about the pine and tall grass ecosystem that was the habitat of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker we were studying. A good humored man and teacher, he was always ready for your questions and pulled forth your enthusiasm. Soil ecology, chopping trees with an axe, driving draft horses with logs from the woods, and white water canoeing were just a few of the things you taught me at Sterling. Enjoy the forever sauna. I was just visiting Sterling last week after 30 years. Sorry I missed you.
Mr. Link was an instructor in 1975-76. Boy what a surprise to meet. Caught a trout in green river. wow what a lecture.
God Bless his family.
Mark R. 76
Dave helped me learn to “speak bee” as we both struggled to keep our hives alive through winters of every conceivable character. Dave never pretended to know anything, which isn’t the same as pretending to know nothing. Every morsel of wisdom or inspiration, though gleaned from decades of research and experience, always included a self-effacing caveat. Thanks for your kindness, patience and forbearance, Dave. It was a pleasure to share with you a few years on Earth.
Dave and I joined the Sterling School faculty in fall of 1969. l remember Dave as a smart but fun co-worker during my two years of working with him. I especially remember his planning and building a Sterling Sauna during the 1970-1971 school year! I also remember the Upper Hudson Canoe race that he brought me to and our visit to the Linck family sauna in the Eastern Adirondacks! My sympathies to Jane and his family.
Thanks to all who shared fond memories, going SO far back.
Jen, Robert, and Jane: Who else had trains and canoe in the basement and a sauna in the backyard? We never received a call from the postmaster to retrieve buzzing packages, but I wish we could have spoken about beekeeping/varroa mite-keeping–and painting and basing miniatures. I was always so delighted to visit your home. Sending all my love to the Linck Family. <3