David Canavera

DAVID CANAVERA SUMMERVILLE, SC - After a courageous four-and-a-half month struggle with pancreatic cancer, David Stephen Canavera, 64, of Summerville, SC, passed away in the evening of Monday, May 12, 2008 at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Dave will be missed by people who knew, loved, and respected him in many roles: husband, father, brother, uncle, mentor, manager, forester, scientist, researcher, advocate, hunter, professor, volunteer, neighbor, and friend. Dave was born to John Joseph and Ann (Molinare) Canavera in Norway, MI, on September 4, 1943. Growing up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he was educated by Christian Brothers at Holy Name High School in Escanaba, MI, and received his B.S. in Forest Management at Michigan Technological University in 1965. In 2003, as an alumni Dave returned to Michigan Tech to be inducted into the Honor Academy for the School of Forestry and Environment in honor of his distinguished career. Dave completed an M.S. and Ph.D. in Forest Tree Improvement in 1969 at Michigan State University. Dave met his wife, Nancy, who was also studying at Michigan State, in 1966, and they married in 1969. Dave’s exceptional career covered the spectrum of public, private, and educational work. Beginning his career with Nancy in the Peace Corps, Dave taught at the National School of Forestry in Curitiba, Brazil, after which he became an associate professor of forestry at Tuskegee University. He then became an associate professor of forest resources at the University of Maine, where he was granted tenure in 1980. He chaired the Maine chapter of the Society of American Foresters. After working as a professor, Dave spent over 27 years working in the Forest Resources Division of Westvaco Corporation, becoming the Director of Forest Research in 1998. Dave was deeply proud of the scientific team he worked with at Westvaco, often saying that his colleagues were the “best and the brightest” researchers in the world. He worked closely with those scientists whom he personally recruited and said that of his professional accomplishments, he felt best about the mentoring he was able to provide to them. His interest in global issues having been sparked by his experience with the Peace Corps in Brazil, Dave cultivated a keen interest in international forestry, exploring possibilities for research partnerships on trips to China and travelling professionally to Colombia, Brazil, and New Zealand. Despite his world travels, however, Dave always remained attached to his native Upper Peninsula and proud of his Italian heritage. Throughout his career, Dave also maintained a special interest in promoting forestry and science careers for minorities. While at Tuskegee, he recruited minority students into forestry and other natural resource professions. At Westvaco, he was pleased to have served on a committee that awarded college scholarships to minority students interested in careers in forestry. The number of professional societies, honorary societies, and professional committees of which Dave was a member was remarkable. He was a member of the Society of American Foresters, the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI), Xi Sigma Pi (the National Forestry Honorary Society), and the South Carolina Forestry Association. He represented Westvaco on a number of advisory committees: the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) Forest Biotechnology Issues Subcommittee, the Forest Biology Committee of the Institute of Paper Science and Technology, the Forest Biotechnology Committee, Tissue Culture Committee, and Industry Tree Improvement Cooperative at North Carolina State University, the Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative at Oregon State University, and the Forestry Research Advisory Committee of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Edu

David Canavera

September 4, 1943 - May 12, 2008