Juneau resident David John Nesgoda died peacefully at home with his wife Connie at his side on June 22, 2015 after suffering a long illness. He was 62. David was born on May 16, 1953 in Duluth, Minnesota to Clarence and Beth Nesgoda. A favorite photograph of David from the 1960s shows him with a new bicycle and a fishing rod in his hand, eager to go out on his own to discover new territory. David's genuine love of the outdoors foreshadowed many of the events of the rest of his life. As a young adult in the 1970s, David began to hone his skills as a journeyman carpenter. He had a keen mind, and quickly understood the importance of his trade. At the same time, the seasonal nature of his work allowed Dave to "go on campaign" each winter. His desire to explore new waters would eventually lead him to the steelhead streams of the Pacific Northwest. There, he joined a unique group of like-minded friends, who had set aside their money-making pursuits to live for months at a time in the back of their vans and camper rigs, devoting themselves to the temperate rainforests, the clean, cold water, and the pursuit of huge sea-run trout. David's choices transcended mere fishing and became a lifestyle that carried on for many years. He kept a revealing journal of that time. In one typical interval, he crawled out of his sleeping bag, pulled on his waders, and fished 83 straight days.David was proud to be a union carpenter. His work took him to Southeast Alaska in 1983, where the sublime beauty and wildness of the region held him, and where he was able to form a balance between making a living and being close to the outdoors. He settled in Juneau and took part in constructing many of the long-standing buildings in town. Quality and professionalism were important to Dave; he was always mindful that people needed to rely on the soundness of the structures he built. Over the years, he served as Trustee for the Juneau Carpenter Union Local 2247.David met his wife Connie in 1987 and they quickly fell in love. They found contentment and togetherness in the home he built for them in a quiet part of Tee Harbor. David started the project with trees he personally selected from the Tongass Forest subsistence lumber program. He had many life-long friends scattered throughout the country, with whom he never lost touch. To those who knew him best, David was loyal, helpful, sincere, fun-loving, and he had the rare talent of turning out well-told stories. Countless times over the years, he reached out to help his friends. He would often pick up the telephone to call his old pals – even when they lived several time zones away - just to say hello.David's family and friends mourn his passing, but also feel he has merely moved on, released from his illness and now drifting around another bend of the river ahead of us, a well-used canoe paddle in his hands, accompanied by his beloved dogs, content and peaceful.He was preceded in death by his parents.He is survived by his wife Connie, and from Russellville, Arkansas, his sister Sue Swanson, niece Melanie (Jeffrey) Hale, nephew Ryan (Rochelle) Swanson, and four great nieces, and his aunt Vivian Lind from Dallas, Texas.There will be no memorial service per David's request. Contributions may be made in David's name to Hospice & Home Care of Juneau or the Gastineau Humane Society.