In Memoriam: David G. Nation
We regret to report that our good friend and former partner, David Nation, has died after a brave battle with cancer. He was 63.
Dave was a summer associate at the firm during the summer of 1977 and one of only three from that year to receive an offer to join the firm full time (the other two were Ken Frazier, now the CEO of Merck, and Alfred Putnam). Dave was elected a partner in November of 1985 and was a mainstay of our corporate practice for several years before he left us in 1991 to become General Counsel at Continental Medical Systems and, later, General Counsel of Bentley Systems, both of them clients he had represented while at Drinker.
During his tenure at Bentley, Dave negotiated dozens of acquisitions, expanding Bentley to over 50 locations worldwide. He served on the board of, and chaired, the Business Software Alliance, was the co-chair of Corporate Advisory Committee of CampusPhilly; and was a member of Session and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. He also co-chaired the Church’s Legacy circle, led a minister search committee, and participated in Social Witness projects including mission trips to Haiti and post-Katrina Mississippi.
Dave was an avid golfer, skier, and hiker. He particularly loved exploring the Wissahickon Valley trails near his home with his beloved schnauzer, Maxie. He enjoyed travel, and treasured memories of his trips with his family. After his diagnosis, he often told friends and family how grateful he was for such “an abundant life.”
Dave was very well respected and very well liked by his colleagues both while he was here and after he left (during which time many of us continued to see him both professionally and socially). We will miss him. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Suzan Willcox, and three children: Emily (John Haskell) of Snowmass, Colorado; Christopher of Denver, Colorado; and Robert of Philadelphia. He also leaves behind his sister, Susan Collins (Dennis) of Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored by a contribution in David's memory to Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill or to The Friends of the Wissahickon , 40 W. Evergreen Ave. ,Suite 108, Philadelphia, Pa. 19118.