David (Dave) Charles Boush, 60, of Centennial, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Monday, August 31, 2026.

A devoted partner, son, brother, uncle, and friend, Dave was kind and compassionate, curious and perceptive, and witty and silly. Although his death was unexpected and way too soon, he left behind a lifetime of memories to treasure. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

Dave was welcomed into the world on July 17, 1966, in Plainfield, New Jersey, by his parents, Joyce and Andy Boush, and his three sisters, Andrea, Karen, and Diane. He lived his first six years in Warren, New Jersey, before he and his family moved to Littleton, Colorado, in 1972.

As a boy, Dave caught tadpoles in the brook behind his New Jersey home and fished and camped in the Rocky Mountains. Outgoing, funny, and supportive, he easily made friends. Animals of all types captivated him, and he thoughtfully cared for the family dogs. Athletic and team oriented, he played Little League football, baseball, and other team sports, excelling in football and basketball in high school. He also could be found riding his bike, swimming, or teasing his sisters. Equally analytical and artistic, he did well in school.

After graduating from Littleton High School in 1984, Dave attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where he played three seasons of NCAA Division I football. He played in various positions—wherever the team needed him most—and after his first year he received a football scholarship and made the Dean’s Honor List.

While living in San Luis Obispo, Dave frequently visited Morro Bay and other nearby beaches and quickly took to the ocean. He also pursued other interests while in and just out of college, including coaching boys’ basketball, running his own window cleaning business, and working in construction and landscaping. During this period, he also shared a memorable trip to Japan with his father.

Dave earned his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications with an emphasis in organizational communication in 1989. Over the next 15 years, he experimented with various career paths in different places. He worked as an account executive for IBM partner companies in Southern California; led volunteers for Denver Urban Gardens in Denver, Colorado; sold handmade Native American drums in Taos, New Mexico; and taught English as a Second Language courses at Bridge Education Group in Denver.

In 2005, Dave became a territory sales manager for MCAD Technologies in Denver. Here, he developed new business and grew existing accounts for the company’s SolidWorks 3D design software and engineering solutions.

Next, in 2012, he joined the Denver office of DEM Solutions Ltd., a global company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He oversaw the company’s EDEM software business in the Americas, which gave him the chance to travel to not only Scotland, which he loved, but also a variety of places in the United States and Canada as well as Chile and Peru.

Although not trained as an engineer, Dave had an aptitude for technology. He quickly became a subject matter expert in EDEM software, which is used in manufacturing, mining, agricultural, and other industries for discrete element method (DEM) multiphysics simulation. Dave enjoyed explaining to clients, colleagues, and others how cool the technology was and how it worked. Dave stayed with the business after it was acquired first by Altair and then by Siemens Digital Industries Software.

Dave met Katie Davidson on St. Patrick’s Day in 2009. The two immediately realized that they each had found the love of their life and began building a life together that they cherished. They enjoyed distance running, hiking, watching movies, and attending concerts. They especially liked sharing good times with friends and family. They always had love to give their dogs—first two boxers named Bubba and Ellie and then two foxhound mixes named Penny and Petey.

Dave and Katie traveled extensively, visiting numerous destinations in the United States and abroad. They treasured the islands of Hawaii along with Mexico's beaches; the rainforests of Costa Rica; and several European destinations, including the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia.

Dave had recently retired and looked forward to doing more of what he loved—being with Katie and their dogs; eating different types of foods, including Indian, Thai, Mexican, and Japanese; visiting bookstores and coffee shops; staying current on politics; tending to his perennial flower garden; continuing to travel; studying martial arts; engaging in mindfulness, meditation, and other spiritual practices; and occasionally playing his didgeridoo.

Dave gave his full self to everything he did and everyone he met. He lived by the Japanese philosophy of ichigo ichi'e, or "each meeting a once-in-a-lifetime event,” and made friends with people from all walks of life all over the world.

When people remember Dave, they most likely won’t remember just one person. Rather, they will remember:

A lifelong learner filled with questions.

An athlete with strength, stamina, and discipline.

A poet who could say so much in just a few words.

An artist who had an eye for the mystical and beautiful.

A businessman who always put people first.

A storyteller who could leave his audience laughing, crying, or both.

A naturalist who connected with wild things.

A shaman who helped others find pathways to healing.

A peacekeeper who led with love.

A dreamer who always grew excited about life’s possibilities.

A kind and giving soul who never gave up on anyone or anything.

Dave is survived by his partner, Kathryn (Katie) Lee Davidson; his sisters, Andrea Boush LeClaire, Karen Yvonne Boush, and Diane Elizabeth Boush; his brother-in-law, Michael John LeClaire; his nephew, Benjamin (Ben) Andrew LeClaire, and niece, Amelia (Amy) Elizabeth LeClaire; his step-nephews, Matthew John LeClaire and Jeffrey Frederick LeClaire; his grandnephew, Jace Michael Ramirez Rode; his step-mother Joan Sandberg; and multiple cousins.

Dave was preceded in death by his mother, Florence Joyce Boush, and his father, Andrew (Andy) Conrad Boush.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, September 28, 2026, from 5-7 PM at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms, 8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, Colorado 80128.