David LaForge Shead, born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Robert Alexander and Rose Irene Shead on November 13, 1942, departed this life November 16, 2015, at his home in Tulsa, surrounded by loving family, after a year-long battle with cancer.


David attended St. Gregory's High School where he made many lifelong friends, graduated in 1960, and went on to the University of Oklahoma where he followed the footsteps of his talented parents studying art and interior design. He joined the Marine Corps Reserves in 1963 serving his country until 1969. David then went to work for Arthur H. Lee, a New York based interior design fabric company, as a sales representative based out of Dallas, Texas. David loved living in Dallas in the mid-seventies, where he attached to the Dallas Cowboys the passion for football his Sooner-born-and-Sooner-bred mother taught him (much to the chagrin of everyone in the family), a team he never forsook through thick and thin. Through his 50-year career with Arthur Lee (then Lee Jofa, then Kravet) of showing the latest luxe designer interior textiles to decorators from Louisiana throughout the southwest, he learned to love New Orleans jazz and the art of the American southwest, honed his own considerable artistic talent in photography and carpentry, shared with his nephews his passion for cars and auto racing, met the love of his life, Carolyn Kay Vandeveer, whom he wed in 1976 and cherished for 39 wonderful years of blessed marriage, and raised the other love of his life, his beautiful daughter, Laura Kay Shead.

Both David's parents were accomplished artists and craftsmen, and David built on their legacy in the painstaking craftsmanship of beautiful table lamps, inlaid wood mirror and picture frames, and furniture, which will carry his love of beauty, art, and craft into future generations.

David's light, laughter, love, and joy in life will be an enduring and sustaining memory for all who were fortunate enough to know and love him.

David was preceded in death by his mother, Irene; father, Robert; big brother, Larry; and his beloved wife, Carolyn. He is survived by his only child, daughter Laura, as well as sisters Mary Ann Hanes (Marty) and Linda Shead (Dale Tacheny), and many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends, all of whom love him and miss him deeply.

Viewing will be Friday, November 20, 2015, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Rosary will be 6:30 p.m., both at Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 1402 South Boulder Avenue. Funeral Services will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, November 21, 2015 at Christ the King Church, 1520 South Rockford Avenue, Tulsa.

FITZGERALD IVY CHAPEL 918-585-1151