David R. Kingman

30 September 1939-1 July 2026

David Rhoades Kingman, a beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully at age 86 in his home in Shalimar, Florida, on July 1, 2026, with family at his side, and in the loving embrace of his wife, Sheila Kingman. He is also survived by his sister, Penney Kingman; daughters, Deana Kingman Hicks and Edith Kingman Hegwer; son, David Guy Kingman; sons-in-law, John Hicks and Bruce Hegwer.

Dave was born on September 30, 1939, in Trenton, New Jersey, to Isabel and David L. Kingman. Not long after he first opened them, Dave's eyes were aimed skyward. He was awestruck by the wild blue yonder and the airplanes that wandered freely in its expanse. Flying was freedom, and airplanes were the engineering marvels and works of art that exemplified man's curiosities and unbound spirit. He would spend his entire life paying homage to the glory of airplanes as an avid builder of model airplanes, flyer/builder of radio-controlled airplanes and as a private pilot.

Dave spent over 25 years in service to his country and was a proud patriot to the end. At 17, he joined the Air Force and served with distinction at various bases and kept the nation's planes flying true on their missions overseas. Later, he joined the Air Force Reserves where he served as Ground Safety and Explosive Safety Officer and also Quality Control Officer at Duke Field, Florida.

Some would say Dave was a quiet man. He used his words carefully and did not carry on just to hear himself speak. When there was something worth saying, he got straight to the point and that was enough said. Dave loved food and made excellent spaghetti and grilled steaks. People would marvel at how much good food he could eat without gaining a single pound.

In 1976, he realized a dream by obtaining his private pilot's license and buying a partnership in a Cessna 150, which he flew on joyous missions across the southern United States. When he wasn't in a plane, or building a plane, he liked to read his many aviation books and magazines, and go sailing with his beloved Sheila on their 22-foot sailboat.

On August 21, 2026 at 1030 hours, Dave's ashes will be interred into the Barrancas National Cemetery with full military honors. If you cannot attend, but would still like to access the joy he felt in this life, just pause for a moment and think of Dave the next time you hear an airplane passing overhead.

Another Duke PioneerDave Kingman passed away at his home in Shalimar, FL on 07/01/26 after a lengthy battle related to Parkinson Disease. He began his career at Duke working in the AGE Shop and later moved to Quality Assurance before retiring from the 919th Safety office.  Dave was a very well known and highly respected member of the Duke Family who will truly be missed by us all, especially Bill Bosley  who Dave worked for during his final years at Duke.  Please keep Sheila and the Family in your prayers as they go through this very difficult time.