David Huston McDonald

DAVID “BIG DAVE” HUSTON MCDONALD, 78, of Rotonda West, Florida, passed away in his sleep on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at the Sunset Rehabilitation Center in Venice, where he was healing from unrelated ailments. Born on September 12, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland, to the late Guy and Erma McDonald, he had been a resident of the Englewood area since the fall of 1987. He was a union-trained carpenter who installed marble and tile in Sarasota and Charlotte Counties. Big Dave is perhaps best known for playing pool and darts over the years at the original End Zone, Woody’s BBQ, Sportsman’s, and Calico Jack's. In his later years, after the passing of his wife, Big Dave was a regular at the Moose and Eagles on Dearborn, where he enjoyed playing poker, bingo, and "Show Me the Money."

He is survived by his loving son, David C. McDonald; daughter-in-law, Elise McDonald; and grandson, Owen McDonald, of Port Charlotte, Florida; granddaughter, Michelle “Miki” Geiger, of Baltimore, Maryland; sister, Mary Andrews, of Hempstead, Maryland; and brother, Jeff McDonald, of Baltimore, Maryland. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marie “Bonnie” McDonald, in 2020; his stepson, Steve Geiger, in 2001; and his stepdaughter, Bonnie Marie Geiger, in 2017.

A celebration of life is planned for his family and close friends. This celebration will honor Big Dave as he lived—filled with good times, good humor, good food, and some competitive card games.