David James Memmott of Rumson, NJ passed away on Thursday, September 29, 2022. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on August 11, 1960, where he lived for a brief period before moving to Freehold, NJ then Fair Haven, NJ where he resided for his younger years before college. After college, it was New York City and New Canaan, Connecticut before settling in Rumson, NJ for the rest of his adult life. Growing up, Dave learned to love the ocean and prided himself on being a Jersey boy on the Jersey Shore. One of his favorite memories that he often recounted was his time spent as a lifeguard at Sandy Hook beach. Some of his closest lifelong friends were made in the lifeguard stands while watching the surf, saving lives, and surfing the waves. Of late, he lived so close to his favorite place, the ocean, that in the mornings he started his day with the sunrise and if lucky, would catch some sunsets too. He was very proud of his daily swims growing up and through his adult life. He even strong armed his wife Debbie into doing monthly plunges, no matter the weather. The ocean brought him a joy that was all his own. Always extremely active and sports minded, David was involved in every sport one could imagine, and excelled at them all. He was a hockey, baseball, football player and swimmer when he was young, with his passions being soccer and snow skiing. Golf and biking were his favorite in his later years, where he was often seen riding around town on the tandem bike meant for two, but rode as one because he said it was such a great, comfortable ride. He loved boating, and fishing, which he did often of late with his youngest son all around Rumson, Seabright, and Fair Haven. He knew his way around a pond or ocean dock. He just returned from the grand Bass fishing store at the urging of his youngest son at his daughter’s college visit. His son was astonished at how his dad navigated that store! He could take anyone down at the sports bar games, such as pool, darts, and shuffle board with ease and speed. Spending time playing any of these sports or games filled other’s playing with him and David’s cup, with his favorite times doing them while sharing a trip out west to ski or to the islands and Scotland to play golf. David made everything he did look easy and fun, always bringing an electric smile, a joke, and a huge belly laugh, often before anyone at his own joke, to whatever he did, no matter the challenge of the sport or game. David attended the local schools in Fair Haven as a youth, and rounded out his high school career at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. His favorite time spent there was on the soccer field with his friends, where he continued on to play D1 at both the University of Portland and Northern Illinois University, graduating in 1983 with a degree in Finance. His soccer career was yet to be over, continuing to coach up until the last few years in the Rumson Rec program, and recruited by the Peninsula Travel program, while being heard on the sidelines coaching from across the field. His good friend now and what became his fellow coach said, “I hear you coaching from the other side of the field, so why don’t you come over here and make it official.” He was known for telling the refs what the call "should be”, and saying, “call it both ways, ref”, because Dave was always fair and just. His players and the sidelines loved him for educating them on his favorite sport. With a “let’s go girls, listen up girls, and who is that pass to?”, he energized everyone and will be forever remembered by the team he so appropriately helped name, “The Blazin’ Eagles”. Everyone of his kids has played the sport, and he has one or two who hope to continue on his legacy playing at a D1 college. Next, we move to David’s extraordinary 40 year Wall Street career. It began in college summers, where he met wonderful mentors who helped launch him into a very successful, long profession trading stocks, running desks, mentoring juniors, and knowing, cultivating, and establishing deep, real, and meaningful relationships with almost every client that touched the Equity markets. Dave was a Managing Director in record time, being an undeniable leader and mentor, giving everyone around him confidence and support, leadership, and the skills to be the best at what they did, like himself. He made jokes, laughed, and cared about others all the while he was a stand out success, boss, and captain. He was a great communicator, passionate, and his favorite line if he was to describe himself was a, “player/coach.” Managing and directing, hence his title, was what he was assigned to do, yet his real calling was to produce and be in the trenches with the people. He didn’t want to be behind glass walls and above everyone with limited access, he was a man of the people, dirtying his hands and accomplishing the goals of the day and the company together, with no glory or praise, but team effort and grit. He asked nothing of and would do anything for anyone. David wanted the best for everyone. He found their finest and brought it out in them. He referred to those friends that he felt were in his camp as “fox hole buddies”. He knew who his were and were in his camp, but one could not ever count how many would choose to be in his. His integrity, honor, honesty, selflessness, and willingness to help anyone led people to follow him and want to be on his team, which they did many times over in his life and professional career. From being a junior trader out of college at Prudential Securities, he rose in the rankings as he headed from there to Dillon Read, then to CS First Boston, and on to Morgan Stanley, where his career blossomed and he achieved Managing Director and Head of North American Trading. He was in this position during the tech boom. Hours were long, responsibilities were big, but you never saw him sweat. Large blocks, no problem, high risk, he had it, tough clients, they became friends. He found his calling and his calling found him. He spent 14 years at Morgan Stanley until ISI usurped him to be their Executive Managing Director and Head of US Trading and Sales Trading, Cash, Portfolio, Electronic Trading, Derivatives, and Europe. He was on their management board. He loved every day of his career, despite the often grueling two hour commute each way in a car, train, bus, or ferry boat from the Jersey shore to the Piers of NYC. It was a labor of love and commitment to his family to take on such an arduous task day after day for 35 years with Never a complaint. He walked in the door at both ends with a joke first, a laugh second, and a hand shake or hug, despite the side, third lighting up the room he entered and making it a better place with his presence and know how at all he could do and did. This is undeniable. This is unanimous amongst those that knew him; Dave was a well loved man who made others’ lives better by him being in theirs. The desks were entertained with his one liners, the kids were amused with his tosses in the air and wrestling on the rug, and knowledge of the entire tri-state area. He was never wrong, always right with his data. Amazing. You could always count on Dave for ANYTHING! There was no quit in Dave. He was there at every turn to hold everyone up and know exactly what and how to do it. After his ISI career, came CLSA where he continued his role as Managing Director, Head of North American Trading, once again trying to develop and make a bigger Equity presence for the firm. Furthering his equity career as an MD at Olivetree Securities and Macro Risk Advisors, he pursued with the same roles and sharing his clients and well established skills with different facets of the business. He was a risk manager, stock trader, leader, and mentor who loved every day that he got to talk stocks with his people, share ideas with others, and try to make everywhere he was a better place in every way. Oh, and everyday all were also informed of the weather, the right route to take, and where to get a good hot dog. Beyond his career, comes the most important Dave, Family! He was an incredible family man and father, where he put them first and they knew it. He has six children and married to his beloved wife, Debbie, where they recently celebrated their 21st anniversary on Cinco de Mayo. No better day to get married for his favorite number was 5 and every child tries to wear the number 5 jersey if possible on their sports teams. He was so proud of them all and talked about them often glowing with each of their own accomplishments, sports endeavors, and school successes. Of late, he discovered “Powerschool”, where you can receive daily emails of your kids’ current grades. For him, the number of emails was 40 plus, but he didn’t care, for he read the grades with pride and watch out, when there was one slip, you better have an excuse as to why. Their biggest fan was often found on the sidelines cheering them on, loud and proud! His family was lucky to have spent such quality time with David over the years enjoying so many holidays and fun times together from the local relatives to Debbie’s family from Atlanta. Dave was the family favorite in every gathering. His favorite holiday to celebrate was Christmas for he and Debbie hosted everyone, with him at the helm cooking, cleaning, and entertaining his closest of kin. Nothing made him happier or more proud. Dave was very charitable from being on one of the largest and most active boards in NYC, St. Jude Children’s hospital to bidding up and purchasing donated items at The annual Cancer Ball, PTO, and school sport fundraisers. His most meaningful charities that he was involved in was MDA’s Wings Over Wall Street. He was a founding Board member and was the Micheal P. Beier Award Winner in 2004, two years after it’s inception, due to his deep reaching impact on MDA research and fund raising. He helped chair, for twelve years, one of the most successful MDA benefits to fund research to find a cure for ALS. He did this for one of his best friends that suffered from this awful disease. David belonged to many clubs, but his favorites were the local ones where he allowed he and his family the opportunities to learn lifelong skills and sports in the towns that he grew up in. He was a member at Rumson Country Club, where there is sailing, golf, tennis, skeet shooting, swimming, and great camps for kids. He was so happy to be able to provide this gift for his children. He was very active in the club and could be found evenings and weekends around the grounds with either his kids teaching them golf and or friends doing the same or finding him at their infamous and beautiful Riverhouse. His other favorite membership was at the Seabright Lawn, Tennis, & Cricket Club. He loved to go there for events, but mostly loved it for his wife, Debbie, who loves to play tennis on the many grass and clay courts, paddle and pickleball all the year through. The summers were spent enjoying first Driftwood Beach Club in his early days and Chapel Beach Club the last fifteen. The beach club allows being with friends swimming in the pools by the ocean and surfing, two of David’s favorites. All of these clubs he could and would access by bike. His wife would always say it was Monmouth County or bust for Dave. He was most happy there near family and friends, and to get him to travel, it had to be some place or reason that was very enticing. David endeared us in so many ways, jokes and his infamous one liners being his forte which drew you in. Once he had the hook, it was you that was the lucky one. With his, it’s all good mentality, there was never a problem in your life or his and everything was going to be OK attitude, to him being up for anything and him always making everything lighter, David shouldered all, and had the broadest shoulders one could have, both figuratively and literally. When you picture Dave, you picture tall, broad shoulders, handsome, smiling, and capable. David was predeceased by his parents, James Richard Memmott and Elizabeth Kennedy Memmott. He is survived by his wife Deborah Gordon Memmott of Atlanta, GA, and children David William of New York City, and at home, Chapin Michael, Carson Gordon, Chase Elizabeth, Cooper Leigh, and Colton Kennedy Memmott, his sisters Karen Hooten and husband Stu of West Long Branch, NJ, Jennifer Rosenberg and husband Steve of Fair Haven, NJ, Joanna Nadeau and husband Chris of Salem, MA, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family who will miss David and his bright smile and vibrant personality more than words can express. We would like to thank the wonderful community and friends old and new who have reached out to help, hold us, lend a hand and time, and express their condolences and love for David and his entire family. Friends and relatives are invited to visit at the Wake, Thursday, October 6th, from 4:00-8:00pm at John E. Day Funeral Home: 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank, NJ. Funeral Services will be held, Friday, October 7th at 11:00am at St. George’s By-The-River: 7 Lincoln Avenue, Rumson, NJ. The burial will be private. There will be a Reception for all at Rumson Country Club Riverhouse directly following the Funeral Service: 163 Rumson Road, Rumson, NJ. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to: ALS Research/The ALS Association, or Clean Ocean Action in David Memmott’s name.
Published in Asbury Park Press
David James Memmott of Rumson, NJ passed away on Thursday, September 29, 2022. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on August 11, 1960, where he lived for a brief period before moving to Freehold, NJ then Fair Haven, NJ where he resided for his younger years before college. After college, it was New York City and New Canaan, Connecticut before settling in Rumson, NJ for the rest of his adult life. Growing up, Dave learned to love the ocean and prided himself on being a Jersey boy on the Jersey Shore. One of his favorite memories that he often recounted was his time spent as a lifeguard at Sandy Hook beach. Some of his closest lifelong friends were made in the lifeguard stands while watching the surf, saving lives, and surfing the waves. Of late, he lived so close to his favorite place, the ocean, that in the mornings he started his day with the sunrise and if lucky, would catch some sunsets too. He was very proud of his daily swims growing up and through his adult life. He even strong armed his wife Debbie into doing monthly plunges, no matter the weather. The ocean brought him a joy that was all his own. Always extremely active and sports minded, David was involved in every sport one could imagine, and excelled at them all. He was a hockey, baseball, football player and swimmer when he was young, with his passions being soccer and snow skiing. Golf and biking were his favorite in his later years, where he was often seen riding around town on the tandem bike meant for two, but rode as one because he said it was such a great, comfortable ride. He loved boating, and fishing, which he did often of late with his youngest son all around Rumson, Seabright, and Fair Haven. He knew his way around a pond or ocean dock. He just returned from the grand Bass fishing store at the urging of his youngest son at his daughter’s college visit. His son was astonished at how his dad navigated that store! He could take anyone down at the sports bar games, such as pool, darts, and shuffle board with ease and speed. Spending time playing any of these sports or games filled other’s playing with him and David’s cup, with his favorite times doing them while sharing a trip out west to ski or to the islands and Scotland to play golf. David made everything he did look easy and fun, always bringing an electric smile, a joke, and a huge belly laugh, often before anyone at his own joke, to whatever he did, no matter the challenge of the sport or game. David attended the local schools in Fair Haven as a youth, and rounded out his high school career at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. His favorite time spent there was on the soccer field with his friends, where he continued on to play D1 at both the University of Portland and Northern Illinois University, graduating in 1983 with a degree in Finance. His soccer career was yet to be over, continuing to coach up until the last few years in the Rumson Rec program, and recruited by the Peninsula Travel program, while being heard on the sidelines coaching from across the field. His good friend now and what became his fellow coach said, “I hear you coaching from the other side of the field, so why don’t you come over here and make it official.” He was known for telling the refs what the call "should be”, and saying, “call it both ways, ref”, because Dave was always fair and just. His players and the sidelines loved him for educating them on his favorite sport. With a “let’s go girls, listen up girls, and who is that pass to?”, he energized everyone and will be forever remembered by the team he so appropriately helped name, “The Blazin’ Eagles”. Everyone of his kids has played the sport, and he has one or two who hope to continue on his legacy playing at a D1 college. Next, we move to David’s extraordinary 40 year Wall Street career. It began in college summers, where he met wonderful mentors who helped launch him into a very successful, long profession trading stocks, running desks, mentoring juniors, and knowing, cultivating, and establishing deep, real, and meaningful relationships with almost every client that touched the Equity markets. Dave was a Managing Director in record time, being an undeniable leader and mentor, giving everyone around him confidence and support, leadership, and the skills to be the best at what they did, like himself. He made jokes, laughed, and cared about others all the while he was a stand out success, boss, and captain. He was a great communicator, passionate, and his favorite line if he was to describe himself was a, “player/coach.” Managing and directing, hence his title, was what he was assigned to do, yet his real calling was to produce and be in the trenches with the people. He didn’t want to be behind glass walls and above everyone with limited access, he was a man of the people, dirtying his hands and accomplishing the goals of the day and the company together, with no glory or praise, but team effort and grit. He asked nothing of and would do anything for anyone. David wanted the best for everyone. He found their finest and brought it out in them. He referred to those friends that he felt were in his camp as “fox hole buddies”. He knew who his were and were in his camp, but one could not ever count how many would choose to be in his. His integrity, honor, honesty, selflessness, and willingness to help anyone led people to follow him and want to be on his team, which they did many times over in his life and professional career. From being a junior trader out of college at Prudential Securities, he rose in the rankings as he headed from there to Dillon Read, then to CS First Boston, and on to Morgan Stanley, where his career blossomed and he achieved Managing Director and Head of North American Trading. He was in this position during the tech boom. Hours were long, responsibilities were big, but you never saw him sweat. Large blocks, no problem, high risk, he had it, tough clients, they became friends. He found his calling and his calling found him. He spent 14 years at Morgan Stanley until ISI usurped him to be their Executive Managing Director and Head of US Trading and Sales Trading, Cash, Portfolio, Electronic Trading, Derivatives, and Europe. He was on their management board. He loved every day of his career, despite the often grueling two hour commute each way in a car, train, bus, or ferry boat from the Jersey shore to the Piers of NYC. It was a labor of love and commitment to his family to take on such an arduous task day after day for 35 years with Never a complaint. He walked in the door at both ends with a joke first, a laugh second, and a hand shake or hug, despite the side, third lighting up the room he entered and making it a better place with his presence and know how at all he could do and did. This is undeniable. This is unanimous amongst those that knew him; Dave was a well loved man who made others’ lives better by him being in theirs. The desks were entertained with his one liners, the kids were amused with his tosses in the air and wrestling on the rug, and knowledge of the entire tri-state area. He was never wrong, always right with his data. Amazing. You could always count on Dave for ANYTHING! There was no quit in Dave. He was there at every turn to hold everyone up and know exactly what and how to do it. After his ISI career, came CLSA where he continued his role as Managing Director, Head of North American Trading, once again trying to develop and make a bigger Equity presence for the firm. Furthering his equity career as an MD at Olivetree Securities and Macro Risk Advisors, he pursued with the same roles and sharing his clients and well established skills with different facets of the business. He was a risk manager, stock trader, leader, and mentor who loved every day that he got to talk stocks with his people, share ideas with others, and try to make everywhere he was a better place in every way. Oh, and everyday all were also informed of the weather, the right route to take, and where to get a good hot dog. Beyond his career, comes the most important Dave, Family! He was an incredible family man and father, where he put them first and they knew it. He has six children and married to his beloved wife, Debbie, where they recently celebrated their 21st anniversary on Cinco de Mayo. No better day to get married for his favorite number was 5 and every child tries to wear the number 5 jersey if possible on their sports teams. He was so proud of them all and talked about them often glowing with each of their own accomplishments, sports endeavors, and school successes. Of late, he discovered “Powerschool”, where you can receive daily emails of your kids’ current grades. For him, the number of emails was 40 plus, but he didn’t care, for he read the grades with pride and watch out, when there was one slip, you better have an excuse as to why. Their biggest fan was often found on the sidelines cheering them on, loud and proud! His family was lucky to have spent such quality time with David over the years enjoying so many holidays and fun times together from the local relatives to Debbie’s family from Atlanta. Dave was the family favorite in every gathering. His favorite holiday to celebrate was Christmas for he and Debbie hosted everyone, with him at the helm cooking, cleaning, and entertaining his closest of kin. Nothing made him happier or more proud. Dave was very charitable from being on one of the largest and most active boards in NYC, St. Jude Children’s hospital to bidding up and purchasing donated items at The annual Cancer Ball, PTO, and school sport fundraisers. His most meaningful charities that he was involved in was MDA’s Wings Over Wall Street. He was a founding Board member and was the Micheal P. Beier Award Winner in 2004, two years after it’s inception, due to his deep reaching impact on MDA research and fund raising. He helped chair, for twelve years, one of the most successful MDA benefits to fund research to find a cure for ALS. He did this for one of his best friends that suffered from this awful disease. David belonged to many clubs, but his favorites were the local ones where he allowed he and his family the opportunities to learn lifelong skills and sports in the towns that he grew up in. He was a member at Rumson Country Club, where there is sailing, golf, tennis, skeet shooting, swimming, and great camps for kids. He was so happy to be able to provide this gift for his children. He was very active in the club and could be found evenings and weekends around the grounds with either his kids teaching them golf and or friends doing the same or finding him at their infamous and beautiful Riverhouse. His other favorite membership was at the Seabright Lawn, Tennis, & Cricket Club. He loved to go there for events, but mostly loved it for his wife, Debbie, who loves to play tennis on the many grass and clay courts, paddle and pickleball all the year through. The summers were spent enjoying first Driftwood Beach Club in his early days and Chapel Beach Club the last fifteen. The beach club allows being with friends swimming in the pools by the ocean and surfing, two of David’s favorites. All of these clubs he could and would access by bike. His wife would always say it was Monmouth County or bust for Dave. He was most happy there near family and friends, and to get him to travel, it had to be some place or reason that was very enticing. David endeared us in so many ways, jokes and his infamous one liners being his forte which drew you in. Once he had the hook, it was you that was the lucky one. With his, it’s all good mentality, there was never a problem in your life or his and everything was going to be OK attitude, to him being up for anything and him always making everything lighter, David shouldered all, and had the broadest shoulders one could have, both figuratively and literally. When you picture Dave, you picture tall, broad shoulders, handsome, smiling, and capable. David was predeceased by his parents, James Richard Memmott and Elizabeth Kennedy Memmott. He is survived by his wife Deborah Gordon Memmott of Atlanta, GA, and children David William of New York City, and at home, Chapin Michael, Carson Gordon, Chase Elizabeth, Cooper Leigh, and Colton Kennedy Memmott, his sisters Karen Hooten and husband Stu of West Long Branch, NJ, Jennifer Rosenberg and husband Steve of Fair Haven, NJ, Joanna Nadeau and husband Chris of Salem, MA, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family who will miss David and his bright smile and vibrant personality more than words can express. We would like to thank the wonderful community and friends old and new who have reached out to help, hold us, lend a hand and time, and express their condolences and love for David and his entire family. Friends and relatives are invited to visit at the Wake, Thursday, October 6th, from 4:00-8:00pm at John E. Day Funeral Home: 85 Riverside Avenue, Red Bank, NJ. Funeral Services will be held, Friday, October 7th at 11:00am at St. George’s By-The-River: 7 Lincoln Avenue, Rumson, NJ. The burial will be private. There will be a Reception for all at Rumson Country Club Riverhouse directly following the Funeral Service: 163 Rumson Road, Rumson, NJ. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to: ALS Research/The ALS Association, or Clean Ocean Action in David Memmott’s name.
Published in Asbury Park Press