Obituary
David A. Cobb of Sarasota, Florida, passed away in his 95th year on July 20, 2025.
He was born on February 20, 1930, to Alfred and Miriam Cobb of Wollaston, MA, and raised during summers in Plymouth, MA by his Aunt Dot and Uncle Ned Burgess.
David’s second wife of 42 years, Mary, passed away August 2nd, 2025.
He is survived by his son John (wife Sally); daughter Emily (husband Chuck); daughter-in-law Martha (husband Eugene, deceased); and son Timothy (wife Diane).
He is also survived by his grandchildren Janet, Elizabeth, Tristan, Julia and Ethan, and eight great-grandchildren, as well as Mary’s children from her first marriage: Darrell, Gregg, Karen and John.
Dave had a passion for boats and the sea. Childhood sailing lessons eventually led to his acquiring his Sea Captain’s license. He also enjoyed connections with ham radio friends around the country and internationally. Dave studied maritime architecture at MIT, but his career interest shifted when he rekindled his love of music. He had played piano and trombone as a young boy, but contracted polio in his twenties which ended his trombone playing, and he began to play the bass. David married Janet Stokes in 1954 and moved to Albany, NY where they raised their four children. David studied bass with Mr. Henry Portnoi of the Boston Symphony. He was principal bass of both Albany and Vermont symphonies for over thirty years.
Dave returned to Plymouth with his second wife, Mary Van Citters, taking over his uncle’s cranberry business and continuing his musical career , commuting to play in the Sarasota symphony with his wife Mary who played viola. In retirement, Dave moved to Sarasota where he and Mary played in the Venice symphony as well as Sarasota symphony and taught music lessons at area schools and from their home.
In later years Dave played the organ in churches. Dave’s gifted contribution in hundreds of Sunday services— from New England to Florida— was a demonstration of his reverence for Jesus Christ his savior.
Dave’s greatest gift to his children is their genuine and active lifelong love of music. John: piano, Emily; viola, Gene: guitar and Tim: bass.
Thanks, Dad.
David was dearly loved by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, suggested donations in memory of Dave to any musical organization, especially those that teach youth. Heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the caring staff at 81 Oaks Senior Living for their kindness shown to both Dave and Mary.
A memorial service is being planned and will be posted on the Baldwin Brothers Funeral Home website, Sarasota. There will be a private burial service in Plymouth, MA for family and close friends.
I look back fondly on the time I spent with my grandfather while growing up. He'd take me to Nick's Lunch diner in Plymouth when I was little. Though he was an experienced HAM radio operator, he also got me my first computer in the 90s, and I still maintain it as a treasure to this day. I credit his foresight with technology in inspiring my own passion for, and career involving computers.
Grandpa Dave truly loved sailing and sailboats, and I spent many summers with him working on and around his ever-evolving hobby fleet. I loved going out with him to cruise the waters of Plymouth harbor in whichever project-boat he was fixing up that year, but my favorite of all was the Meadowlark--a wooden-hulled, flat-bottomed, two-masted boat which he sailed up from North Carolina. Stopping on Nantucket, he even parked it out of reach of the harbor master by using its flat bottom to sail far into the shallows.
My grandfather was a regular part of my life growing up, always pursuing his interests, but always sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with those around him. He was much like my father in that regard (as well as his love of puns), and I miss both of them terribly.
With his son in Paulette Vermont, August 2022. They are together again in heaven.
Visiting our home in Carver, August 2022
Visit the bogs in Plymouth thirteen years ago, September 2012