David Earl Reiber was born on July 31, 1942, in Monterey Park, California, the eldest son of Curtis David & Ruby Mona (Yeo) Reiber, and brother to Larry and Cherri.

Dave grew up in Denver, CO, and Scottsbluff, Terry Town, and Ogallala, NE, and enjoyed roaming, hunting, and fishing in the woods, rivers, and sandpits around the Platte River. He was a huge airplane enthusiast and enjoyed building and flying control line and RC model airplanes, eventually getting his pilot's license. He was good in school (except spelling he would tell you), and played football, basketball and baseball, graduating from Gering High School in 1960. He also liked to draw, design, and build anything that moved or could be built. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he was also a member of Beta Sigma Psi fraternity.

Dave followed his mother’s advice to only marry once, and to make sure she was the one, by falling in love with Sandra J. Walton, who he married on May 28, 1966. They had two daughters, Katherine and Patricia (Patty).

In the past, he worked as the state of Nebraska Chief Inspector for Missouri Valley Construction, inspecting concrete girders and pylons for interstate bridge crossings along the Platte River. Dave worked for E.O. Peters for 18 years - and E.O. taught him the mechanical contracting business. He then opened Mechanical Western of Lincoln, with Sandy as his VP, bookkeeper, secretary, and all around go-to girl, which they successfully ran for 20 years.

Dave was an active member of the Lincoln SkyKnights, flying most weekends - when he wasn’t hunting, or trap shooting at the Ikes. He supported his daughters and grandsons in all that they did and eventually became his own version of his hero, John Wayne - riding the biggest horses he could find. Dave and Sandy loved to vacation with their daughters on houseboats in Canada, and traveled together and with friends to many warm destinations, eventually taking their grandsons with them. They enjoyed playing bridge with close friends and pitch at Lincoln Elks Lodge #60. He was president of the Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors of Nebraska in 2008 & 2009, a lifetime supporter of Ducks Unlimited, and trained many great hunting dogs.

Dave passed away at home on Friday, April 18, 2025. He is survived by wife Sandra (Walton) Reiber; daughters Katherine & Eric D’Agostino, and Patty & Brennan Lavelle; grandsons William & Ethan Lavelle, and Nicholas & Max D’Agostino; sister Cherri Reiber; numerous family members in Wisconsin and Texas, and his dog, Sal. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brother, Lawrence (Larry), and will be missed by many.

Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life on Sunday, May 4, 2025 from 2-5 pm at Lincoln Elks Lodge, 5910 S. 58th St., Lincoln, NE. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to “Nebraska Ducks Unlimited” and can be mailed to the family to forward.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lincoln-ne/david-reiber-12347364