November 2, 2016

Education: Basic Training, Special Forces Solider - Green Beret, National Guard Carpentry and Masonry Specialist. He also earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from NHTI in Concord, NH in 2012.

 

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Awards and Decorations: Army Commendation Medal (3rd award), Army Achievement Medal (4th award), Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, New Hampshire State Active Service Ribbon, Expert in Competition Bronze Pistol Badge, Expert in Competition Bronze Rifle badge, Governors 20 Tab, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and Special Forces Tab.

 

Survived By: His wife, Victoria and son, David J Whitcher Jr. His mother, Kathleen Whitcher, his three brothers, Matthew Whitcher of Andover, N.H., Danny Whitcher of Chesapeake, Va., and Michael Robbins of North Andover, Mass.; and three sisters, April Messer of Newbury, N.H., Rebecca Whitcher of Claremont, N.H., and Ruth Koloski of Claremont, N.H.; and many nieces and nephews.

 

Staff Sgt. David Whitcher died during a dive training exercise off the coast of Key West, Florida.

 

Victoria was David’s first girlfriend and they married 6 months after meeting. They had a son together which they named David J Whitcher Jr. He was 7 years old when he lost his father.

 

Whitcher was a generous and a kind soul. He was always going out of his way to help and support those around him. The youngest of 9 siblings. He grew up homeschooled all his life in the woods of New Hampshire in an A frame. He loved farming and carpentry. He had his first fulltime job at 12 running his own carpenter business. You can still see the work he created driving around Bradford NH. He was a Master Carpenter that could build and fix anything. His last final project was a Tiny house on hinges that collapsed for travel. He built this and took David and Victoria to Alaska where they lived off the grid for a year. He was adventurous and hard to keep tamed. He was always doing something and had big dreams. He was a family man that loved church and his family. He took great pride in being the best husband and father. He took daily walks each day with his son where they took adventures that normally followed with the line “don’t tell your mother”. He really lived each day like it was his last. He also was notorious for his smile. The same smile his son inherited. His loss has created a huge gap in his family and is missed beyond belief.

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David was known best by those who were close to him as a free spirit. He enjoyed the outdoors and spending time with his friends and family. He was amazing at everything he did.