David "Dave" Oetting

David “Dave” Oetting, known affectionately to many as simply “O,” was a man of deep faith, fierce loyalty, quiet strength, and unmistakable humor. He lived a life marked by courage, resilience, and an unwavering devotion to the people he loved most.

He was born on September 23, 1968, and adopted soon after by Eugene and Harriet “Peg” Oetting.  David was baptized and attended St. John Church and Elementary School. He graduated from Seward High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, and track. He was a proud member of the class of 1987. Dave carried the heart of a competitor and the soul of a servant. A gifted athlete, he was the quarterback at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, where he played on a full scholarship. Football shaped his discipline and grit, but it was the brotherhood of teammates and lifelong friendships that meant the most to him. Those bonds—especially with his late best friend Doug, and his cherished friend and brother Grant—and many other friends and family remained sacred in his life.

Professionally, Dave served as a perfusionist, a role that perfectly reflected his steady hands and steady spirit. In an extraordinary turn of events, after priming the bypass circuit for others countless times, he once found himself on the receiving end—undergoing emergency open-heart surgery. True to form, he returned to work just weeks later, standing shoulder to shoulder with the very team who had saved his life. It was a testament to his resilience, humility, and deep respect for the calling of medicine.

Above all else, Dave was devoted to his beloved wife, Julia, and her two children, Alanna and Dimitri Leissner. Their love was playful, tender, and anchored in faith. Whether sharing quiet evenings at home, laughing over inside jokes, riding coasters at Florida theme parks, walking on the beach, or facing life’s hardest battles hand in hand, their marriage was the center of his world. He also adored their dogs—Snickers, and Ilo, who brought daily joy and companionship.

Dave’s later years were marked by profound health challenges, including a rare spinal cord tumor. Yet even in suffering, he chose courage over bitterness. He faced treatments, surgeries, and uncertainty with remarkable honesty and grace. His Christian faith was not abstract—it was lived. He leaned into Scripture, sought wisdom in difficult decisions, and trusted that God’s compassion and presence would not fail him. In moments of reflection about hospice and dignity, he found peace in the promise that nothing could separate him from the love of Christ. In his last moments he held his wife’s face in his hands, and thanked her for completing his life. He thanked his friends, family, and hospice staff; and even in his final season, he continued to serve others before himself. Selflessness was not an act for Dave-it was his nature.

Dave leaves behind a wide circle of friends whose lives were forever changed by his kindness, humor, faith and loyalty. He had the rare gift of making people feel seen, valued, understood, and had a way of lifting others up. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, strength, laughter, loyalty, and enduring love. It was his heart people remember most: generous with encouragement, quick with humor, and deeply attentive to those he loved. Those who knew him will remember a man who fought hard, loved deeply, thought boldly, and trusted God fully.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In accordance with his wishes, there will be no formal funeral service. Instead, at a later date, a  Celebration of Life will be held to honor the joy, faith, and love he shared with so many.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David "Dave" Oetting, please visit our floral store.