With tears in her eyes, Rev. Jacqueline Lamensky announces that her father, David Clarence Lamensky has gone to be in his heavenly home on April 1st, 2026 at the age of 73 after a lengthy illness.

David was born in Richmond, Texas on August 19th, 1952 to Clarence William and Ora Lee (Tielke) Lamensky. David was the oldest of five children, raising show chickens and helping his siblings with their fair projects as well. David was a proud member of the Needville High School Class of 1970.

After graduating, he began working with his father in the family construction business, Lamensky Plumbing. David went on to become a Master Plumber, Master Electrician, and a Master HVAC technician. While in Fort Bend County, he worked on many homes and businesses. He loved what he did. He loved being a master of his crafts, making sure his licenses were active until the day he died. During his time working in his craft in Needville and New Braunfels, he worked with many young men and women, and he loved to help them hone their craft and as they took their tests and received their licenses, he was so proud as they would come to him with their physical cards in hand to show the man that taught them so much beaming with excitement. He truly was proud of each and every person who has ever worked with him over all of these years.

In early 1983, at the age of 30, fate intervened when David went on a blind date with Patricia Kay Crout of Rosenberg. After a quick six week courtship, David got down on one knee and proposed to the woman he knew was his one true soulmate. Six months later, on September 3rd, 1983, David and Patti said their vows and sealed their love with a kiss in front of family and friends at First United Methodist Church of Rosenberg.

On October 8th, 1986 David and Patti welcomed their precious daughter, Jacqueline Kay Lamensky into the world. Through many surgeries as an infant and eye surgeries as a child, David and Patti advocated together for their beautiful little miracle. Their love for their baby girl was strong, and their love for one another grew even stronger yet.

In the early months of 1997, David began to look at job postings, hoping and praying to find something with good insurance coverage for his family. One early morning, he saw an advertisement for a HVAC Contractor posting in New Braunfels, Texas at Comal Independent School District. He submitted his application and was called for an interview within the same 3 days while the family was on a weekend trip to the Texas Hill Country. Before David was back home to Needville and let his references know they may get called, they were calling HIM to see what was going on. That June the Lamensky's made the move from Needville to New Braunfels. Patti was hired as a paraprofessional for the coming school year at Comal Elementary, and Jacqueline was getting enrolled in school, dance, and 4-H.

As the saying goes, in New Braunfels ist das leben schön, life was good for the Lamensky family. Then in May 1998, Patti was diagnosed with a lung tumor. That summer treatment began at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. They fought for 2 years, but on July 10th, 2000, at the age of 40, David lost his soulmate Patti.

Before Patti's passing, in April of 2000, the Lamensky's celebrated David's acceptance to become a member of the Wurstfest Association. To say that Patti was excited to be an "Oma" would be an understatement. The same week that David received his acceptance letter, she had gone and bought her dirndl for that first year, saving the lederhosen for David and Jacqueline's first major task after her death. Lessons were learned that first year, but David loved every year that he got to greet guests into the 10-day festival each year! The stories of the folks that he has met and cracked jokes with over the years were some of his favorite to tell. David began as a Kleine (green vest) Opa till he became a Red Vest Opa a few years later. In 2016 David became a Senior Opa, no longer required to work any shifts, but he loved to go whenever he could. Whenever you go to Wurstfest, keep your eye out for the Lamensky family crest in the Wursthalle, and his "Opa Brick" in the new section in the Marketplatz surrounded by his fellow Opas.

Daivd was a man of great faith, he was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel United Church of Christ in Needville. He always said that he was a "behind the scenes" guy, preferring to fix anything that the churches he attended needed, from shimming up the cross to install special light bulbs at Immanuel, to delicately removing and replacing an air conditioning system amongst the pipes of the organ at Friedens Church in Seguin, TX. Yet, that behind the scenes guy led to being a highly involved church member as well….He had plans, and God laughed if you will! David served as a council member, and eventually the Church President at Friedens Church in Geronimo. He was also a member of the Camp Council at Slumber Falls Camp in New Braunfels, and he spent a term on the board of Settegast Heights in Houston. He also became involved in the greater church as a member of the Committee on Ministry for the South Texas Association, served as Association Moderator, and sat on the Conference board for the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ. In early 2026, he joined Jacqueline as a member at Springs of Life Church in San Marcos, Texas.

David loved being a part of Wurstfest and the life of the church and being out on job sites, but anyone who knew David knew that his greatest love of all was his daughter Jacqueline. After Patti died, David was Jacqueline's biggest fan. He always encouraged her to be involved in everything she wanted too, even if that led to him becoming "THAT" dad. From pulling trailers for the theater or student council to crafting together black lights for the Canyon Student Council's campaign for State Vice President. From setting up generators in the wee hours of the Comal County Fair Parade for 4 or 5 different floats, to driving to every game or contest or recital. During Wurstfest week, if David wasn't working gates as an Opa, you could probably find him making funnel cakes in the Canyon Music Booster trailer (his preferred location). And we never will forget the years of chicken shows and driving from New Braunfels to the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds for preliminary rounds for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, then escorting all the horse trailers from Canyon FFA to Needville to set the backup birds with all their needs at his mom and dad's house. When Jacqueline started Texas Lutheran and was a member of the Texas Lutheran University Choirs, you could expect to see him in the back right corner of Jackson auditorium for every night of TLU Christmas Vespers.

In the spring of 2008, Jacqueline went to her dad after a meeting with one of her professors, and dropped a bombshell, or so she thought. "Dad, I want to change my degree to Theology. I think I'm being called to ministry." Without ANY hesitation, he said, "ok, what's next?" When she began to tour seminaries to start applying for her masters, David knew in his heart where it was going to be, but he wanted Jacqueline to discern it on her own. When she finally said, "It's time to follow in my Godfather's footsteps and go to Eden Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri," David said, "let's go." They had both grown up hearing the wonderful stories from Jacqueline's godparents, Rev. George and Nancy Kuebler, and though it was far away, the family that is Eden Theological Seminary, made the transition that much easier. With each visit and each phone call, David saw his little girl grow up into a beautiful young woman and an amazing minister in training. On May 19th, 2013, he beamed with pride for both himself and Patti as Jacqueline crossed the stage and received her Master of Divinity.

During Jacqueline's 3 years, he became known as the "Tamale Man" and the "Beaver Nuggets man" making sure to bring anywhere from 10-20 dozen tamales made FRESH and cases of beaver nuggets to share with the Midwest. Jacqueline would grumble at first reminding him how small her fridge and kitchen were in her apartment, but by the end of her 3 years, she would have to fight to claim one dozen tamales for herself rather than fight to store the leftovers!

On Sunday, September 7th, 2014, David proudly sat in the sanctuary of Friedens United Church of Christ in Bern, Kansas next to Jacqueline's mentor and their dear friend, Rev. Charles Stark as Jacqueline preached her trial sermon and was voted to be the called as the settled pastor of the sweet little church right on the Nebraska state line.

Then on September 27th, 2014, David helped his mother and mother-in-law place a red stole around Jacqueline's neck as she stood before the congregation at Friedens Church in Geronimo, taking her vows and officially becoming, The Reverend Jacqueline Kay Lamensky. It was a beautiful and emotional day, one that no one ever would forget.

David was proceeded in death by his beautiful wife, Patricia Kay Crout Lamensky; parents, Clarence & Ora Lee Lamensky; in-laws Jack & Nell Crout; sister-in-law, Rebecca Crout Reed, brother-in-law Lee Jan, and Jacqueline's Godparents, Rev. George & Nancy Kuebler.

David is survived by his beloved daughter, Jacqueline, and grand dogs, Schatzi Jane & Nellie Lee. He is also survived by his siblings and their spouses, Richard Lamensky and wife Cindy, Lori Demny and husband Robert, Patti Jan, Kristi Novosad and husband Tony. He was a proud Uncle to nieces and nephews in both the Lamensky and Crout families, Cassy Baldwin and husband Josh, Matthew Pribble and wife Erin, Chelsy Smith and husband Brandon, Kirby Deere and husband Derek, Coleman Jan and wife Molly, Tucker Novosad and wife Kaitlin, Madison Weske and husband Clay, Tristan Novosad and fiancé Jaelynn, Clayton Demny, Diana Alexander and husband Waylon, Michael Latimer, Hafida Becker and husband David. In the last decade, David also became a great uncle to Brandon and Wyatt Baldwin, Maycen Smith, Lynley and Grayson Pribble, Ephram and Kamila Becker, Chelsea Womack, Cass, Jax, Samantha, Willa, and Svea Alexander.

A Celebration of Life is to be held on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 10am at

Friedens Church, 2555 Friedens Church Road, Seguin, TX 78155.

A light lunch and a time to fellowship to be held immediately after.

In leu of flowers, memorials and gifts may be sent to Slumber Falls Camp or the GoFundMe Jacqueline set up to continue David's Legacy, https://gofund.me/154809edd