David M. Conkle, born to Ethel Miller Conkle and William Howard Conkle on March 11, 1941, in Morgantown, WV, lived a life defined by empathy, determination, and an unyielding passion for helping others. Raised on a rural farm, Dave learned the value of hard work early, tending crops alongside his father and excelling in local 4-H competitions. His father's philosophy of giving him just a little more responsibility than he could handle allowed young Dave to master skills like operating heavy farm equipment, driving the family truck to Pittsburgh at age 13, and negotiating crop prices with local grocers, all of which developed his sense of independence and resilience. He had an especially close relationship with his paternal grandfather Clyde, a master storyteller. From childhood, he dreamed of becoming a family doctor, a calling that would shape his remarkable life.

At West Virginia University, Dave's talents shone both academically and athletically. He briefly joined the basketball team as a walk-on freshman, playing alongside legends Jerry West and Rod Thorn. As determined as he was to play, the coach informed him he would never see a minute of game time. Taking his advice, Dave instead focused on his academics and graduated as valedictorian of his class. He entered Yale Medical School, where he met his wife Babs, a nurse from the mid-west working in the pediatrics unit at the Yale New Haven Hospital. Before their marriage, Babbie's Mom playfully warned Dave that Babbie was "one of a kind"- a truth he cherished throughout their life together. After Yale, Dave completed his internship and then his residency at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN, training in general surgery, specialized cardiovascular surgery (open heart surgery), and thoracic surgery. After Vanderbilt, Dave worked under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Glenn Morrow, the head of the National Heart Institute in Bethesda, MD. There he served as the senior surgeon, laboratory director, and the chief consultant of thoracic surgery for the National Cancer Institute of the NIH. He published many works including studies on coronary blood flow, aortic dissection, and vascular access for hemodialysis. During the mid-1980's Dave travelled to Salt Lake City in Utah numerous times and worked with Dr. Robert Jarvik, the inventor of the artificial heart. There he implanted the devices into calves to refine them for human use and would later boast that one of his calves lived longer than any of the others.

In 1978, Dave moved to Pensacola, FL, with Babs and their three sons, David, John, and Daniel. As a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon at West Florida Hospital, he worked alongside trusted colleagues and close friends, Dr. John Wimberly and Dr. Bill Woolverton. Known for his extraordinary ability to connect with patients, Dave worked very long hours, often staying overnight at the hospital to ensure his patients received his personal care post-surgery. He was always a very generous person with his time and talents when there were people in need. His dedication earned him deep respect and lifelong bonds with those he treated, and patients often showed their appreciation by bringing the family fish, game, and fresh produce. These gestures touched him deeply, as they reminded him of his childhood in West Virginia. Dave was supported at the hospital by his friend and head nurse, Jeanne Grimes, and he'd joke that Jeanne ran the operating room while Babbie ruled the home. Despite his busy schedule, Dave always tried to attend his sons' athletic events, earning an unofficial record for technical fouls as a fan, due to yelling at refs about their bad eyesight and questionable calls.

Dave loved visiting his boys at The University of the South (Sewanee) for parents' weekends and was well known for partying like he was still in college. It was not unusual to catch him dancing and singing on a stage with one of the visiting bands.

Beyond medicine, Dave discovered a passion for offshore sport fishing, mentored by his friend, x-ray technician and expert outdoorsman, Sammy Kaiser. In an era before GPS and emergency communication systems, he relied on Loran navigation to venture far into the Gulf of Mexico on small boats, chasing big game fish with his sons and friends. He was an early and vocal proponent of catch and release, and he competed in many Pensacola Big Game Fishing Tournaments, often winning in various divisions. A crowning achievement came in the mid-1980s when his boat caught the Louisiana state-record yellowfin tuna in South Pass, LA, weighing an impressive 235 pounds.

After surviving emergency open heart surgery at the age of 54, his cardiologist advised him to retire to avoid another heart attack. He continued working for several years but having been warned again, he reluctantly retired at age 60 and embraced life on and around the water. He loved spending time at Destin's Harbor Docks Marina, where he became a beloved figure among the local "fishheads." Aboard his boat the Miss Babbie, he explored the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic, honing not only his skills catching large blue marlin, but those of his sons and grandsons, and all the friends he hosted on his boat. He also expertly trained two Wildrose Labradors, Boo and Goose, as duck dogs and was training a third, Luke, whom he jokingly referred to as Lucifer. For Dave, fishing and hunting was more than the competition of the sports - it was about creating lasting memories and stories for everyone involved.

Dave cherished helping family and friends with medical advice, maintained his license to practice, and stayed up to date on the current state of medicine. Having converted to Catholicism years earlier, he sought a deeper fulfillment and understanding of his faith. He approached the Bishop to start a free medical clinic to serve the homeless, the unemployed, and the working poor. "Our Lady of Angels" is located at St. Joseph's Church in a shotgun cottage that was provided by the dioceses. At its peak, "Our Lady of Angels" treated over 6000 patients annually after receiving generous funding efforts from the local community and the Impact 100 organization. As the director for the clinic, he graciously accepted numerous awards for the clinic's contributions to the community including the EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless Recognition Award, the Five Flags Sertoma Mankind Award, the Kiwanis Pensacola Civic Award, the Rotary Club of Pensacola Sandra Robinson Service Award and the PACE Spirit Award.

Even after his acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis in early 2024, Dave remained committed to his mission, attending to patients at the clinic when his health allowed. His faith sustained him during his illness, only deepening his commitment and trust of God in the face of what he could not control. He never complained or felt self-pity about his illness. After a courageous year battling the disease, he passed away peacefully at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston on June 5, 2025, surrounded by family and with a rosary in hand. He leaves a legacy of kindness, service, and adventure.

He is preceded in death by his parents; as well as his brother, William H. Conkle Jr.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Babs and their three sons and seven grandchildren - David William Conkle and his wife Cheri, and their children, David (Tori) and Christian; John Lanier Conkle and his children, Avery, David, and Jack; and Daniel Robert Conkle and his wife Brooke, and their children, David and Caroline; as well as his sister, Mary Anne Boston.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 3:00pm Thursday, June 19, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, with Fr. Pat Foley and Fr. Chuck Collins concelebrating. A reception will immediately follow in the church parish hall. Private interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Livestream link for the Funeral Mass Conkle Live Stream

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Angels ( www.stjosephclinic.com )