David Allen Attenberg

David Attenberg, beloved father and grandfather, passed away suddenly on December 16, 2023. He is survived by his sons, Josh Attenberg and Trevor Attenberg, daughter-in-law, Xiaoyun Ji, stepdaughter, Sybil Dunlop, grandchildren, Justin Heinsohn and Roan Attenberg, and cousins Louise Weintraub Linsky and Bobby Weintraub, and ex-wife, Trudy Swenson. David was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia Birmingham, stepson, Max Dunlop, and stepdaughter, Victoria Wagner, and his parents, Leona Goldfarb Attenberg and Herbert J. Attenberg.

Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, resident of Maineville, Ohio, formerly of Easton and Fairfield, Connecticut

David was a guitar player, singer, and music lover. In high school he played bass as a member of The Easy Action Band. Years later, he briefly worked for the music producer, Paul Leka. Throughout his life, it was rare that he did not have a guitar on hand or music playing from an elaborate sound system. David was an imaginative woodworker, a talented luthier and wood turner. He created beautiful gifts for his family and friends including hand-turned pen sets and live-edged wood bowls. For the cooks in his life, he designed and fabricated unique cookbook/music stands with clever bookmarks in the shape of spinning tops. He was an all-around handyman, able to troubleshoot a large variety of household projects from building a deck from scratch to renovating the kitchen and bathrooms of his home in Fairfield, CT.

He loved his children and grandchildren above all and liked nothing better than to engage their curiosity with science and engineering. When Josh and Trev were little, he built an elaborate swing set and climbing gym on his side yard in Fairfield. It was the hit of the neighborhood kids. David was an exacting model maker and his sons’ bedroom was decorated with many carefully assembled and painted models of vintage planes, jets, spacecraft, tugboats, destroyers, and aircraft carriers. He hosted rocket launch birthday parties for both boys, building rockets for each guest to launch and holding a launch demonstration with his larger handmade rockets. He was an avid downhill skier and made sure both of his children loved the slopes. The boys remember many early winter mornings, squeezed into the backseat of the car on either side of their Uncle Mike Baldyga, driving north to Okemo Mountain for a day of skiing. David was a proud father and a loving grandfather and was always ready to share the achievements and adventures of his sons and beloved daughter-in-law.

He made his living in the maintenance and cleaning business, starting out as a window washer using a bosun’s chair to descend the exterior of tall buildings. At one time he partnered with his father, Herb Attenberg, to run Maintenance, Inc., in Norwalk, CT. He went on to work for his uncle and cousins, also in the maintenance business, and eventually went out on his own. In addition, David worked as head of maintenance and transportation for the Stratford Connecticut School District for a few years. Upon moving to Ohio, he worked as head of maintenance for the Cincinnati Music Hall.

An affable person and skilled salesman, David could talk to, and get along with, almost anyone. He endeared himself to many different people through his love of edgy and slapstick television and movie humor. Ren & Stimpy, everything Mel Brooks and Monty Python, and especially the Three Stooges were among his favorites.

He was a dog lover as well and shared his life with many lucky rescue dogs. Anyone wishing to make a donation in David’s memory can do so at the Humane Association of Warren County, Ohio, https://www.homelesspets.org/.

A gathering will be held at a later date to celebrate David's life. Please contact David’s family members for more information.