
WILMINGTON — David Ezra Peters, aka The Old Man, age 77, of Wilmington, NC, died on June 28th, 2022, after a brief illness. He was the son of the late Gilbert R. and Pauline (Erzen) Peters. David was the loving husband of Susan Kathryn Marsalka, whom he married in 1975 and who survives him. Carrying on his memories are his favorite children: Joseph (Katie) of Wilmington, NC; Ezra (Amber) of Driggs, ID; and Kathryn (Garrison) of Penrose, NC. He was the proud grandfather to Luke, Jacob, Jimmy, Lillian, and Vincent. Also surviving are his brother, Jerome (Jan) of Murrysville, PA; sister-in-law Carmie, of Richmond, VA; and brother-in-law William, of Little River, SC. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his siblings William, Gilbert, Mary, and Lillian, and in-laws Jeanne and Brad.
Born April 3, 1945, David was raised in Conway, PA. He received his undergraduate degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1967. David proudly served in the Peace Corps in the late 1960s in Bogotá, Colombia, and then attended Georgetown University, where he received his master’s degree in 1973. He spent his career in the newspaper industry as a journalist and editor in Caracas, Venezuela; Athens, GA; Houston, TX; and Pittsburgh, PA, with some stints as an educator and steelworker. David was a well-known conversationalist and entertainer, and never met a stranger; his sardonic wit was known by all. While his dress leaned towards sweatshirt – cargo jean short – and New Balance casual, David enjoyed a good lager; eating seafood on Fridays; cheering on (or cursing at) Penn State Nittany Lions football; upcycling (to the consternation of his family); watching FIFA World Cup; listening to Tito Puente and Buena Vista Social Club and reading the print newspaper. He was known for his aphorisms, such as “Don’t work too hard.”; “Life is for the living.”; “Did you get enough to eat?”; and his ever-popular “Don’t be an acer.” David instilled in his children a love of good booze, thrifting, the benefits of napping, choice curse words, and a hard work ethic (not necessarily in that order). Sadly, he never did get to finish reading Anna Karenina.
Against his wishes, a service will be held at a later date, where good food and better liquor will be served. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be made to The Basilica Shrine of Saint Mary Hispanic Maryknoll Ministry, 412 Ann St, Wilmington, NC 28401 for their work locally and for their sister parish in Honduras (https://www.saintmarybasilica.org/about/donations) or to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401 (https://lifecare.org/donate/).
Alternately, if you’re inclined, please raise a pint of fine lager; buy and read a print newspaper; cheer on the Nittany Lions; or eat a local oyster in his memory. A very special thank you to the nurses at NHRMC and the LCFL Palliative Care and PAC Team for their compassionate care at the end of his life.
We’ll miss you Pop, with much love from your favorite acers.