David Jerome Falk was born June 1, 1962 at Montevideo, Minnesota. He was baptized at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. He died because of a drowning accident on August 11, 1978 while on a canoe trip in the Arrowhead country in northern Minnesota. He would have been in the 11th grade at Clarkfield High School. He is survived by his parents, Percy and Barb and one sister, Julie; grandparents, Mrs. Rena Falk of Montevideo, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kling, Granite Falls; six aunts and uncles, Mr. and Mrs. Art Falk of Kerkhoven, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kling of Granite Falls, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Egge of Minneapolis; seven cousins and a host of other relatives. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Ernest Falk and his great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Day. Blessed be his memory! IN MEMORY OF DAVID JEROME FALK Born June 1, 1962 ~ Passed Away August 11, 1978 Funeral Services Tuesday, August 15, 1978, 10:30 a.m. Clarkfield Lutheran Church, Clarkfield, Minnesota Officiating, Rev. Gordon Trelstad Organist, Mrs. Ronald Donner Vocal Music, Echoes Arlene Alness, Karen Christensen Deborah Johnson, Sally Mensink Miriam Trelstad, Sandy Utah Rachel and Sara Trelstad and Barbara Walther Meditation Pastor Dean Larson Green Lake Bible Camp Congregational Hymns "Beautiful Savior" "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" Casket Bearers Eric Hubbard, Roland Larson Steven Hubbard, Jeff Sorum Ross Jurgenson, Mike Westre Final Resting Place Sunset Memorial Cemetery Montevideo, Minnesota WILDERNESS ENCOUNTER He was only 16. A friend, a leader, fun-loving, loved by all of us, and most important, a Christian. His love for life in God's outdoor chapel and a deep love for being with friends led him to want to be with the rest of us on a wilderness canoe trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota and Canada. Life is filled with wonders and dangers on every hand. As we stop to think, we realize that is so true. Water can be a friend or an enemy. It can rob life and it can give life. On Friday, August 11, 1978, off an island on Gunflint Lake, David attempted to walk out to meet his friends who were playing with a canoe in the water. A sudden drop-off engulfed him and he went under without the awareness of the others. David was robbed of his life. That event robbed all of us there so deeply of something in our own lives. A part of us went with David. Words cannot begin to describe the depth of this tragic event for his family, his friends and our community. God speaks to us in all our experience. We believe that God did not wish this upon any of us and we will have to live with the mystery of the "why" for a long, long time. We only dare to believe that God is loving, present and merciful. His grace is sufficient we know. My fervent prayer is that through David's death God can reach the rest of us with a fresh realization of His love in Jesus Christ and how special we are to Him and to each other. Perhaps our love can be shown more clearly to one another. Perhaps God has spoken so powerfully through David's leaving us, that some are brought to new life, new faith and new strength in Jesus. That is my concern now as we grieve together.