David Paul Proctor

David Proctor, 71, left for parts unknown on May 30, 2019 after butting heads with cancer for 14 years off-and-on. He leaves behind his best beloved wife Becky; his cherished daughters Sarah (Erik Engstrom) and Kayti (Mitch Williams), his mother Joan Proctor, brother Chris Proctor (Tomi Ossana), sisters Cynthia Proctor and Mary Anne Proctor Stevens, nieces Jacqueline Hansen (Jason Burch) and Kristin York and grand-nieces Nova, McKenna and Peyton. And two bowling leagues.
David was born at Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester, Vt., while his parents – Hilliard Noble Proctor and Joan Amo Proctor – were stationed at Ft. Ethan Allen. His father was career Army, and the family later lived at Montpelier, Vt., Ft. Holabird, Md.; Frankfort, Germany; Ft. Meade, Md., Louisville, Ky.; Hanau, Germany; Muncie, In.; and Ft. Douglas, Ut.
He graduated from East High in SLC in 1966 and the University of Utah in 1970, where he was vice president of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He was youth coordinator for the Community Action Program in Midvale, Ut., when the Salt Lake Tribune hired him as a stringer to write about music. The journalism bug bit him, and he went back to school and contributed regularly to the Daily Utah Chronicle and Utah Holiday magazine as well as freelancing for Rolling Stone and other local and national publications. His paying job was to run the swimming pool at Northwest Community Center where the stars aligned, and he met the love of his life.
With master’s degree in hand, he and Becky moved to Ketchum, Id., where they were married in 1981, and he eventually became editor of the Idaho Mountain Express. Their first baby, Amanda, was stillborn, but they welcomed Sarah in 1984. David moved to the Idaho Statesman in 1986 where he filled several reporting and editing jobs, won 15 state, regional and national reporting awards, but focused on features, which allowed him to draw on his writing skills and extensive musical knowledge. Kayti joined the family in 1988.
After leaving the Statesman in 1995, he worked in politics and wrote two books. In 1999, he founded the Log Cabin BookFest, Idaho’s only book festival, and ran it for two years. In 2001, he became director of media and communications for The Idaho Foodbank where he worked for 13 years. He also served on the Boise City Ethics Commission for a decade and taught three classes for Boise Community Education. In retirement he published Pathway of Dreams: Building the Boise Greenbelt, the largely unknown story of how Boise’s beloved Greenbelt came to be. He was also proud to be the lyricist for songs recorded by Ken Harris and Gayle Chapman.
He is most grateful for the doctors and nurses who provided such caring treatment at MSTI Meridian and the Huntsman Cancer Institute in SLC.
David tried to leave every place better than he found it, an ethic he successfully passed on to his treasured daughters. He is so proud of them and knows they will lead successful and fulfilling lives. “In my life, I love you more.” (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
Words to remember:
“Shower the people you love with love.” (James Taylor)
“Enjoy every sandwich.” (Warren Zevon)