It is with great sadness and utmost respect that we bid farewell to Dave Werts, husband to the Historical Society of Long Beach’s (HSLB) president, Melanie Werts. Dave passed away Feb. 14 at the age of 83.
Dave was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa on Aug. 10, 1935. He earned aeronautical engineering degrees from Iowa State University and University of Minnesota. He spent his career at TRW working on rocket science and other top-secret projects.
Dave’s interests included fine wine, cars, jazz, gardening and genealogy. He knew the value of archives, having researched and written histories about his family and the Retzsch family, tracing them back several generations. Dave attended the Grand Prix almost annually. He passed his affection for jazz to his sons and recently served on the board of the Jazz Angels.
Our current exhibition, “Chrome: Cruisin’, Clubs, and Drag Strips,” features some of Dave’s collection of miniature cars. He attended the exhibit opening in July and greatly enjoyed the show.
Dave clearly adored Melanie, and his sons Tavis and Brandon were lights in his life. He went above and beyond supporting Melanie’s work in the community and even became one of the HSLB’s go-to bartenders! We will all remember his warm, charming smile, intelligent conversation, and easy-going demeanor. And of course, we will miss him by Melanie’s side as she continues as president of the Historical Society. Formal services will not be held. Please join us in remembering Dave as the special person that he was to all who knew and loved him.
Historical Society of Long Beach
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