David P Custer

David P. Custer, age 83, beloved husband of Dorothy (Prior) Custer, passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.
 Born in Hartford on January 17, 1938, he was the son of the late Herbert F. Custer Sr.  and Claire McFetridge Custer and was a longtime resident of Manchester.
 David joined the United States Marine Corps after high school and had a long career working at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford.  After retiring from Pratt and Whitney, Dave worked at Fast-Go automotive service center on Main Street in Manchester for many years.  He made many friends while helping run the business there.  He was a member of Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145 of Freemasons and had been a longtime member of the Stafford Fish and Game Club.
Dave was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed both hunting and fishing.  He ran his father’s charter fishing boats out of New London as a teenager and later owned a series of boats kept in Stonington. For the last 20 years Dave could be found at Mystic Shipyard East aboard his boat, SeaHawk 2.  He spent countless hours with his friends at the marina, offering wit and wisdom and the occasional fish tale. He leaves his dear friends and fishing buddies; Rick Jones, Bev and Paul Lemek and their families who he adored. When he wasn’t fishing, boating or reading about fishing and boating, Dave cheered for the Uconn Women’s basketball team and the Boston Red Sox.
 He is survived by his two sons, Scott Custer and his wife Shanna of Vernon, and Joel Custer and his wife Jennifer of Hebron; his brother Herbert Custer Jr. of Martha’s Vineyard, and his sister Melinda Oehmsen of Tolland; and four grandsons, Dylan, James, Aiden and Jackson.  He also leaves many nieces and nephews, including his Martha’s Vineyard fishing guide and striped bass derby connection, John Custer.  Dave was predeceased by his sister Barbara Ermisch.
  Calling hours will be held on Monday, January 17, 2022 at Holmes Watkins Funeral Home, 400 Main Street Manchester, CT 06489 from 3 to 5 p.m. Internment will be private.
  The family would like to thank the amazing nurses at St. Francis Hospital on the 10th floor, Step-down Unit, and the Cardiac ICU for the care and compassion given to Dave over the past 2 weeks.
  Donations in Dave’s memory may be made to oceanconservancy.org

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