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Friday, February 13, 2004

David Kaestle, R.I.P.

I've just learned that David Kaestle, one of National Lampoon's old designers--and thus, with Michael Gross, half of the world's total population of people who know how to design humor magazines--died of cancer on January 23, 2004.



I spoke with David only once--last August, in hopes of hiring him to redesign the Yale Record college humor magazine for the students at Yale. Having admired his work for decades, I was really quite honored, and I hoped to learn as much as I could from a long association in the future. But time ran out.



The world of prose humor is a little more impoverished now. Godspeed, DK, and thank you for your kindness to me, and all the beautiful, funny work you did. You can read Michael Gross' touching obit here. To hear what some designers thought, check out this article and comments section.
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2 comments:

  1. nancy oriJune 26, 2007 at 2:06 PM

    I was reading a great book today called The View from the Studio Door by Ted Orland and became instantly aware that I should know more about my mentors who changed my life in a direction at age 20 that made me who I am today. I went to my old college scrap books to look up the correct spelling of their names to do a search. What do I find but that they are both dead. Daniel Tereshko and David Kaestle both taught for a short while at Elmira College while I was in the art and photography program. I fell into it when the academic side of my story was not doing well. I fell hard and landed in the care of these two men who nurtured me and scolded me and pushed a lot of buttons that lead me to the path that brought me to where I am today...a successful freelance photographer, teacher and fine art exhibitor of my photographs. Since I can no longer thank them personally, I wanted to acknowledge their value to the community of art. Thank you both.
    Nancy J. Ori June 26, 2007

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  2. AnonymousMarch 3, 2009 at 1:12 PM

    Joan Picard remembers:
    I went to grade school and high school with David. We were "boyfriend and girlfriend at the tender age of 11". I will always remember going to his bedroom upstairs to look at his science project and his new chemistry set. I also remember his Mom coming upstairs every five minutes to check on us.
    I am so saddened to hear of David's death. He was a very gifted man.
    I reconnected with him at our 25th high school reunion and he really had not changed a bit-still the humor, still the smile, still the gentleman he always was with me.
    Someone once told me that when someone dies they really haven't gone that they have just moved into the next room--and we call that room Heaven and eternal paradise.
    He will be missed by all that had the pleasure of knowing him.
    Most sincerely,
    Joan Lynch Picard, RN
    Williston, Vermont

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