In Memory of Dave Sjuggerud

SJUGGERUD, DAVID M., died on November 26th from injuries suffered in a bicycle accident. He was 66.

Dave grew up in Menomonie, WI, the youngest of five children. He attended the Naval Academy, and played football in the 1964 National Championship game. As part of his 20+ year career as a Navy pilot, he flew in Vietnam. Dave was an exceptional man with a long list of life accomplishments. In school, he was a great student and all-state athlete in basketball. His high school classmates voted him the most outstanding graduate of his graduating class.

In college football, he started on offense and defense. In the National Championship game, he caught the second most passes that day from Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach.

In his career as a Navy pilot, Dave achieved over 350 carrier landings in deployments in support of the North Korean expedition and the Vietnam campaign. He then went to test pilot school. His test pilot skills landed him a trip to NASA, where Dave became a semifinalist to be an astronaut in 1978. Dave was selected for the rank of Captain in the Navy in 1985, and Dave retired from the Navy in 1986 with many service medals. Fittingly, after the Navy he spent his civilian career in the aerospace industry.

For all his accomplishments, Dave didn't talk too much about the past. Instead, he preferred to brighten everyone else's day around him - particularly his extended family here in Central Florida and back in Wisconsin. He especially loved to do things with his grandkids, Zack and Delaney. Dave is survived by Jean Mellow Sjuggerud, his wife of 41 years, and his two sons Steve (Kassy) and Mike. He's also survived by his sisters Sandy Firestone (Jim) and his twin Diane Christensen (Vern).

A "Celebration of Life" ceremony will be held at the Country Club of Orlando at 10AM on December 6th. All friends, family, and neighbors are welcome. Dave will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, P.O. Box 64740, Baltimore, MD 21298.

Published in the Orlando Sentinel on 11/30/2008