Such sad news.
I am one of the many whose research depended on Dave's vast knowledge and, more importantly, willingness to help. In fact, Dave was the single most helpful and encouraging person I encountered while in graduate school--I might still be there spinning wheels without him. He not only cared about my research, he cared about me as a person. He quite literally saved my defense seminar when my computer blue screened and I was too stressed to fix it. He went far out of his way to support me on that day (and many others), and, in his gently way, he helped me deal with my father's slow decline and eventual passing.

I hope that we can all follow Dave's example, and not only store our vast personal wealths of knowledge and information, but share them, amicably, not for our own personal benefit, but for everyone's.

I'm truly sorry to hear of Dave's passing.

Dave was my office mate and supervisor when I worked at the Honolulu Laboratory CoastWatch node in the late 90s. While there was a certain amount of Entropy working closely with Dave, it was always a dynamic time filled with some wonderful material for later stories.

Over time Dave moved on to great things at ERD, but with some irony I feel that the distance made us closer. Dave was always someone I looked forward to seeing, both as a colleague and a friend.

I watched Dave's career as it morphed from his early successes in bringing a suite of remotely-sensed products to "the masses" (ocean winds certainly comes to mind), to truly being an integral part of the scientific and academic communities throughout the nation, if not the world.

My hope now is that Dave can truly rest in peace, and that his legacy can live on through all those that he has touched. Here's to you Dave, and letting us know that the larger meaning in things can all be found in the "fiddly bits."

I was fortunate to have known Dave as a talented co-worker with a brilliant mind, but more than that, I was truly blessed to have also known Dave as a friend.

Dave was a worthy tennis opponent and we spent many an evening under the lights of the Monterey Tennis Courts. In fact, we were there so often that we were invited to join in the Monterey Tennis Tournament one year. We entered in as doubles partners which led to the most outrageous lose in Monterey Tennis Tournament history … maybe I’m exaggerating, but I don’t think so. After that, we settled on early morning weekend rallies at a more obscure tennis court, which I reckon was much more in-line with Dave’s style anyway. He possessed a cross-court shot that never failed! I had the pleasure of being Dave’s softball teammate, Big Sur Relay teammate, and golfing companion on many occasions. 

Dave’s kindness and generosity was evident through his cooking … his ginger, apple and rhubarb pie was the best I’d ever eaten, and his ceviche was exquisite. The mere watering of Dave’s plants would result in a present from wherever in the World he had just been to share his incredible knowledge of satellite data and oceanographic data products. 

Dave was extremely intelligent, witty and quirky, and I would often seek him out for advice in his freezing cold trailer, where he could be found hiding behind his shrubbery. But truth be told, sometimes I would just seek him out to talk about the live golf scores that we would both undoubtedly have on a browser in the background if our favorite Canadian Tour player was playing.

I will cherish my many fond memories of a brilliant man that I was fortunate to have shared some time with … rest in peace Dave … you will be missed.

Dave had a rare combination of scientific understanding, technical competence and a deep desire to help others; i.e., he was a geek with a heart, along with a calm and gentle soul. In the end, we are all stories, as represented by our interactions with others. Dave's story continues in the hundreds of people he touched in his professional and personal life. He will be sorely missed.

Dave was an amazing guy. When I was out in the Gulf of Mexico to pick up oiled turtles offshore (the BP spill), he would send us an up-to-date map of where oil was found the night before by 0500 Eastern time! When did he sleep?! I truly enjoyed working with him. His insights into satellite oceanography data and wicked sense of humor will be truly missed.

Dave joined the IC-TAG group at the recent GHRSST meeting, and we all were looking forward to talking and working with him for years to come... His passing is such a shock! Very sad.

When we were in college together, Dave wrote me a memorable letter dissecting some personal problem I was having.  In the letter, he constructed a long metaphor where I was a small boat sailing in dangerous waters and our mutual friends were various nymphs and mermaids and other forms of sea life. In this little story, Dave pegged himself as the lighthouse keeper for these chaotic waters.  Reading other people’s tributes, I realize that Dave was clearly a lighthouse keeper for many others through the years - a calm, steady guy who liked nothing more than protecting those he cared about.

Dave's willingness and commitment to supporting our Oregon outreach program was amazing--and reading other comments apparently typical of his commitment. I will wear the shirt on Friday in memory of his smile and passion for sharing.

With great sorrow we learned of Dave Foley's passing on December 8, 2013. It goes without saying that the NOAA CoastWatch Program will miss our team member, colleague and friend of many years. But in the broader sense satellite ocean remote sensing has been dealt a serious blow.

When Dave first joined the Program as the CoastWatch Central Pacific Regional Operations Coordinator at the National Marine Fisheries Service, Honolulu Laboratory he was among the first to actually demonstrate what was to become our routine service delivery ethic. Dave was always on call - day, or night and regardless of where he was on the planet. Dave would always respond. His view point was always sought and important to consider. When Dave left Hawai'i to become the West Coast Regional Node Operations Coordinator he took his service commitment with him as well as his vision and energy for expanding the use of environmental satellites by oceanographers, fisheries scientists/managers, students and the public. Not to be overlooked was Dave's service in the State of Oregon via Oregon State University's educational outreach.

Dave's shoes will be difficult to fill in NOAA CoastWatch. As we move forward and expand into OceanWatch the goals he set for service, and his commitment to providing timely, useful, and quality data and products will not be forgotten. We all have learned valuable lessons from Dave ... his spirit and commitment will live on amongst Oceanwatch Team members, colleagues and friends.

Aloha, Kent Hughes, NOAA CoastWatch Program Manager

Such a gentle, giving soul, so willing to take on more than any single human should ever commit to. There is a big Dave-Foley-shaped hole in our lives now and you are greatly missed. Our next paper is dedicated to you.

Dave worked with many others to gain the maximum utility of satellite data with fisheries and other oceanographic subjects. He was an honest and ethical go getter, always trying to improve the system. Climbed up working with others not by stepping on them. We often got together at meetings for some drinks, laughs and good Asian foods. I will miss Dave as will the community. Words alone are not enough...

Dave aka "Wave" was a good friend in our final years at Cornell as undergrads. I once visited him as a grad student at UCLA and he gave me a tour of their labs after hours when the place was deserted. He took me into this one large room that looked like a squash court and when I turned around he had a gun pointed at me. In a split second my mind raced through and re-evaluated my entire history with "Wave" trying to find a reason why, what had I done to merit such extreme retribution, or perhaps he had gone insane. Of course, the gun had blanks and he was simply demonstrating the endless reverberation of the echo chamber we had stepped into. But that one mischievous gesture etched a lot of memories I had with him previous into my brain - and now they are playing back slowly, randomly, with sadness and joy.

Cousin Dave, I am sorry to have missed your life. Just last month I thought of cousins whose lives parallel my own without intersection. I did not act at that time. Our meetings over the last 47 years have been few and far between, and always relatively brief. Good luck Dave, it seems like I missed out.

Will miss you, Dave. We worked in the same organization, but thousands miles apart. We only met several times at various meetings, last time it was GHRSST in Woods Hole. Shared a dinner, you didn't look happy. Spoke about your diabetes. I said, never mind, Dave. My Mother in law has been a diabetic for some 20+ years. Now, won't see you anymore.. cannot believe this. Rest in peace, Dave.

West Coast CoastWatch is such an integral part of CeNCOOS, and Dave so integral to CoastWatch, it is hard to imagine how we will carry on without him. On a personal note – I will always remember Dave best as a wonderful teacher. I loved going to his talks because I always learned something new – and he has always made time to answer any question about satellite data. What a resource! Our whole community will miss him. My condolences to his family and to PFEL.

I too remember Dave as a great and warm person. I never had a chance to work took closely with him but was always impressed with the suite of satellite datasets in his domain and tools/services he built to deliver them. I was often a user ! Always had great presentations and focused on the application of science and satellite data which was a common interest. I had hoped to get him nominated to the GHRSST science team next year..... He will be missed by many.

A tribute to Dave Foley by Mike Laurs

I first met Dave in the late 1990s when I hired him to operate the NOAA Central Pacific CoastWatch site located at the NMFS Honolulu Laboratory where I was then the director. We had a very good working relationship during this time. In 2004 the NOAA West Coast CoastWatch site was to be moved to NMFS laboratory in Pacific Grove, CA where I was then the director. Dave was interested in relocating back to the mainland and I recruited him to manage and operate that facility. He did an absolutely superb job making improvements and running the operations at both locations. Dave played a vital role in developing and producing ocean satellite remote sensing data products tailored to meet the needs of a broad spectrum of users ranging from eminent scientists to young school kids. He possessed outstanding capabilities and skills including a solid understanding of the strengths as well as the limitations of ocean satellite remote sensing data, a broad knowledge of physical oceanography and amazing computer skills. In addition, Dave was very generous with his time and had a wonderful ‘can do’ attitude with all of those who sought his advice and assistance. He leaves a legacy of numerous collaborations with marine scientists which resulted in many significant contributions to ocean science.

Dave was not only a colleague, but special friend of mine. I fondly remember lively discussions we had about gourmet food and recipes, and many fine meals that we enjoyed in restaurants in Honolulu, the greater Monterey area, and various other places around the globe. Also, when we both were working in Pacific Grove, we frequently enjoyed brisk walks near the sea during lunch time and wine tasting often on Fridays after work with a group of folks at the Monterey Wine Club.

I will miss Dave. My hope is that he has been granted the Peace and Serenity that he so much deserves.

Death is a friend that alone can bring the peace his treasures cannot purchase and remove the pain his physicians cannot cure. ~Mortimer Collins

Dave the Wave. My brilliant, loyal, funny companion, roommate, confessor and friend. He kept me safe and warm and smiling through through many adventures and trials in Ithaca and beyond. I would not have made it through unscathed without this wonderful magical man.
Ah those Welsh dimples.

Dave was a dear friend of mine in college and later in Los Angeles. He taught me how to drive stickshift, walked me home on many a late night, and was always up for an adventure.

Dave was always generous with his warmth and support. After college, when I was moving to Los Angeles, I drove with a friend to San Francisco. Dave then flew up or got a ride up to meet me, so I would have someone to drive with for the rest of the trip. He then let me stay at his place while I found an apartment. That was very typical of Dave.

Dave was fun. There was a brief period when he and a bunch of his fellow graduate students bought a rickety boat together. I would go out with him and friends. We would bounce around the waves, having a blast and happy if we made it back to the shore without capsizing. Around this time, he was doing a lot of karaoke singing. Dave could belt out a mean, "Mustang Sally." 

I know very few people who loved his friends as fiercely as Dave did. He was loyal to a fault. I have missed him often over the years and I am truly sorry that he has passed away.

Dave provided endless dry wit, a keen eye for innovation, represented his communities (and he had many) with devotion and professionalism, had an in-depth knowledge of the ocean and its mechanics and, enjoyed time to share another story and his time with us all.

He has made a fantastic impression on many, many people around the world and leaves a legacy of great ocean science. His presence and his smiles will be missed.

Craig Donlon

I'm so sorry to hear of Dave's passing. I greatly appreciated his programming prowess, his expansive knowledge of satellite data, but most of all, his sense of humor. He was a wonderful human being who would not hesitate to lend a helping hand or provide guidance. He will be missed by many.  My heart goes out to those closest to him since he leaves a void that will be incredibly difficult to fill. 

Dave, I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you and share some laughs over my crazy stories.

Personally, I will miss Dave's gentle wit, calm demeanor, and collaborative spirit. He had a deepness of presence that is hard to describe… quiet yet strong. If you've been fortunate enough to enjoy the unique feeling of a swim call on a fair day in the middle of the ocean, a thousand miles from land with 5000m of water below your feet, having Dave around was something like that.

Ken

I met Dave a few years ago in a fairly tense and complicated situation. I knew a bit about Dave’s work, but had never so much as spoken with him. At some point he just cut through everything and said “I’ll just do it.” And then did just that. I really didn’t understand why he did this and called him up. We had a long conversation and I started to understand, but found later that this was probably characteristic Dave – he just made things happen. 

In subsequent years, I crossed paths with Dave during various small meetings. Dave became someone I really enjoyed being around. His science was top notch and insightful – often pushing boundaries; his views on sharing information and skills were open and honest; he was always kind with me; he would even teach me if I asked. Each time I met him in a setting like this, I felt as if I were running into an old friend whose scientific capabilities I tremendously respected and who I very much liked as a person.

This past summer, I went through the satellite course that Dave co-taught with Cara. It was clear again that Dave was about sharing information and finding ways for people like me to do a better job. I realized then that Dave was having some trouble and I left thinking about how important this person was to the broader community. The thought ‘something of a national treasure’ came to me then, and comes to me now. 

To those of you who were truly close to Dave, I know there is very little that anyone can say. For me, Dave was far too young, had far too much to offer, and was far too decent a person - Dave was truly exceptional and I will very much miss him.

I'm shocked and saddened. We have lost one of the good people. Dave brought such a good natured, straightforward, honest and light-hearted approach to getting really good things done. We frequently bounced satellite data thoughts off each other. I'll miss that, but more than anything, I will miss the jovial spirit that always was Dave when he was in the room or on the end of the phone or e-mail.

The CoastWatch Program has lost a dedicated, energetic champion for data sharing. I can hardly imagine how "his" CoastWatch node will endure without his oversight, skill, and genuine care for all customers. He was certainly a bright light to everyone in CoastWatch; my sincerest condolences to his close friends and family for a life ended too soon.

If it had been a heart attack, the newspaper
might have used the word massive,
     as if a mountain range had opened
           inside her, but instead

it used the word suddenly, a light coming on

in an empty room. The telephone

fell from my shoulder, a black parrot repeating
       something happened, something awful

     a sunday, dusky. If it had been

terminal, we could have cradled her
as she grew smaller, wiped her mouth,

    said good-bye. But it was sudden,

how overnight we could be orphaned
& the world become a bell we'd crawl inside
& the ringing all we'd eat

Sudden by Nick Flynn

There is a big field of people who probably could not have completed graduate school without Dave Foley. I am most certainly among that group. His was extremely generous with his time (and his code), and provided everything with such a delightful gritty humor. Dave, we miss you.

I am so very saddened at Dave’s passing. He was a unique personality and I always liked him. When I think of Dave, I remember when he was locked in our Annex I overnight. PIFSC had recently installed automated 2000 lb pressure magnetic locks and who should be working late when the locks malfunctioned? Dave! We were shocked to find him the following morning locked in the building. His take on the situation? “Well, I had water and a toilet (the water fountain and restroom were located directly across his office), so I was okay and I knew someone would be in the next morning.” Thanks to Dave being the guinea pig, Admin literally took off the door from its hinges that blocked access to the one exit he could have used to get out of the building. I always laugh when I think of this incident. Dave just rolled with the punches. Before he left, I congratulated him on his job move and he wrote back and said, “… it's been seven years, the statute of limitations is up: I can go back to Cali.” He was going back to where he wanted to be. I’m so glad he spent his last years where he wanted to be and closer to his friends and colleagues. He will be missed.

Dave was good colleague and a leader in the field of satellite oceanography. He had a wonderful understanding of ocean dynamics and its influence on ecology. As a result he constructed images and time series from multiple data streams that produced new insights into physical-biological linkages. He will be greatly missed.

The sad news hit Valerie and I devastatingly. Thousands of miles away from us as an academic, scientist and clearly jovial friend to many, he was to us a baby boy, an energetic child and a devoted adult son to his mother Barbara and brother Stephen. He shared with his acclaimed deceased physicist dad Ken, an appreciation of fine food, a good barbeque and a proclivity for a fine wine. He was of an age with Barbara sister’s, our sons, who are with us in a state of shock. We regret that we will not again enjoy his company at table. We extend, at this sad time, our wishes that Barbara and Stephen may have the strength to suffer these days.

Such incredibly sad news. Dave was a brilliant scientist and all around decent human being. He was so incredibly generous with his time and his science, especially to those of us who were students or early career scientists when we interacted with him. Dave, you will be terribly missed personally and professionally. Thanks you for everything you've done for all of your friends and colleagues over the years.

The remaining teams of the fantasy baseball Bush League will miss the participation of Dave and his team, the Ocean Bagels, in our league. He greatly enjoyed baseball and the Dodgers.

I'm truly shocked to learn that Dave has passed. He was one of the the more entertaining colleagues I knew in Oceanography. Our collaborations within PICES and through CIOSS at Oregon State University will remain with me forever. I'm so sorry to hear of this. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and enjoyed his good humor and company. Those of us who learned about accessing CoastWatch products from him really appreciated his efforts to educate us about the value of open access data sets and delivery modes. Those who did not know him surely missed out on something great. My sincerest well wishes to all of David's family and friends in this time of sorrow.

I am so sorry to hear about Dave. He was an incredible mentor, colleague and friend. I feel very lucky to have been able to have worked so closely with him; he taught me so much and was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge. My dog that Dave loved is named after the Terra satellite used by CoastWatch.

Dave, you will be missed.

Over some 15 years, I've worked on and off with Dave
on both Hawaii and California. 
He always brought both humor and skill, and a remarkable
capability to make things happen. If I need to solve a bloom
on the west coast, Dave somehow made a product today from a
conversation that took place yesterday. If we needed a
test of an idea, he made it happen. He was refreshing, direct
and positive. It would have been a pleasure to work next door
to him, instead of 2500 miles away.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of Dave's passing. He was very much a mentor to me when we were both in Hawaii. He, far more than anyone else, gave me a foundation in scientific programming, all the while infecting me with his hilarious, often brilliantly ironic sense of humour. I will miss him greatly. Best wishes to all of Dave's friends and family during this sad time.

Dave was a great colleague, both while he was here in Honolulu and later at Pacific Grove. His creativity was probably his top achievement, but his warm personality is what drew us to him. (Ok, sometimes it was a gruff personality but it was filled with good humor.) I'll miss him greatly. Aloha.

I will miss you Dave, thank you for being yourself and all of your mentoring...

I'm so sorry.