David Wayne Britton, 45, of Warrensburg, MO, formerly of Jonesville, MI, died Monday, March 5, 2007, at his home.
He was born July 1, 1961, in Toledo, Ohio, the son of Lavern and Irene Richardson Briton.
Mr. Britton was a 1979 graduate of the Jonesville High School. He had been a truck driver for Highland Dairy in Warrensburg for several years. He also had done volunteer work for the fire department in Mooresville Township in Mooresville, IN. He had moved to Warrensburg in 1997.
Survivors include a daughter, Tabitha Britton, Camby, IN; a son, Jonathon Britton, Warrensburg; his Mother, Irene Britton, Jonesville, MI; three sisters, Carol Greene, New Smyrna Beach, FL, Verna Champion, Jonesville, MI, and Debbie Caldwell, Warrensburg; and several neices and nephews.
He was preceeded in death by his Father and an older brother, Tracy Britton.
Dave was my friend.
I met him in 2001. Soon after, he began volunteering and running sound for the band that I was in with Paul Wilbern, Full Moon. Dave wasn't the most acknowleged sound man that you could have. Rather, each day, practice, and gig was a learning experience for him and the rest of the band. He never claimed to be the best, or even really good at it...he just was always willing to help. Always there for us, his friends, we could always count on Dave to be a permanent fixture wherever Full Moon was playing. Those whom have never played in a live band couldn't understand the importance of a sound man. They are the unseen "stars" that keep the show going on. Dave was that person for us. He kept us together when we thought it (the night) was falling apart. For me, he was that one person I could always lean on and get that one bit of encouragement that I needed. Everyone knows that the most arrogant part of a band is the singer/front man; in the publics eye, the one part of a band that thought they "walked on water". That isn't always necessarily so. For me, I "put on" a lot of show of my aire of competence. The one person in a room that I could always depend to give me the "boost of confidence" I needed was Dave. I could always tell by his actions in the back of a room, his glowing face from a dim sound board light, whether or not I was doing my very best or not. And, even though I may have been slacking, or not at my peak that evening, he could always bring up my spirits enough to keep the show going on. I missed that sense of security after I quit Full Moon on New Years night 2005. In retro, I also miss the honesty Dave had in giving you his opinon. Yes, he was very opinionated, but that is what made him who he was.
Aside from all the band stuff that I have mentioned about Dave, I want to talk about the person.
Dave had a caring nature about him. He was always one to listen to you, even when you knew most wouldn't want to. He loved WWII memoriabilia and had quite an extensive collection. He was a lover of science fiction, and along with that, quite the intellectual. Dave could carry on a conversation with almost anyone. I mentioned above that Dave wasn't the most accomplished sound tech you could ever meet, but I will never forget when Full Moon opened for Warrant at the Cole County Fair in Jefferson City, MO in 2004. Dave ran the sound from a massive board for most of the show. We sounded the best we ever had. That was truly his night to shine. He had a grin ear to ear. What a sight to see. Just an average Joe from po-dunk nowhere, running a professional sound board, in a professional setting, for a major event.
When I learned of Dave's death last Monday night, one of the memories that I couldn't get out of my head was that last gig I had with Full Moon. Everything was going great that night. The sound, the lights, the crowd, my voice. It was in Warrensburg, which made it sort of a full circle for me (no pun intended)...that was my first gig with Full Moon some five years ago. In the third set of the night, we were doing the Alice In Chains song "Rooster"...one of Dave's favorites. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a figure at the side of the stage. As I glanced over, I saw it was Dave. He was standing there as if he had something to say. We kept going and the song (and set) ended. I asked him what the deal was during the break, and he told me: "I've never heard you do that song that well...you kicked ass". After asking him what he was doing standing there at the stage, he told me: " I was going to come up and sing harmonies to the song with you". I will always regret that he never had the chance to do that, and that I never had the pleasure to share the stage with him.
Dave had an accident a few years back. He fell off a truck dock at Highland Dairy in Warrensburg. Of course, since it happened "on the job", he had to go through Workmans Comp (aka...in our world as: Lets see how much we can screw over the worker that might actually need the help). After too long of a period of not being allowed to see the "correct and qualified" physicians...Dave had lost a majority of use of his arm and severe muscle and nerve damage had occured. My kudos and applause to the system on that one, and especially the case worker that had (hopefully) a high school education and the empathy of a boa constrictor.
Dave finally got the opportunity to see the right doctors, underwent a few surgeries, and even some of those helped somewhat. All in all, he kept deteriorating for the most part. I don't know if I could comprehend the amount and levels of pain that Dave went. Some people know that I have gout in both feet. I know what extreme levels of pain are like. But...to undergo pain for four years...no, I can't comprehend that. What I can say, is that Dave was an inspiratiion for a lot of people. To see what he was going through, but to keep going day in and day out with a small ray of hope that it would eventually get better...he was a true inspiration.
I could go on and on about my friend. About the firefighter, the biker, the collector, the great mind, and the patriot.
Dave Britton was and always will be in my heart. I knew him for too short of a time, but during that, I found out what it meant to have a friend that you could count on, trust, and love.
I miss and love you Brother.
Rest in peace with no more pain