David Lusk

My younger brother David Elliott Lusk passed away on Thursday night, May 27, 2021. Dave was 64 years old. He had not been feeling well for several days and when he finally asked for help, an ambulance was called and Dave was taken to North Park Hospital in Hixson, TN. David was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung and pneumonia. On Saturday morning he suffered a cardiac arrest. David was put on a ventilator and his major organs – heart, lungs, liver, kidneys – began shutting down. He had severe cirrhosis of the liver and fluid buildup in his stomach. He was not a candidate for surgery. He never regained consciousness.
This is at the point where I was called. Thank you to the friends that knew how to reach me (Howie Winters) and could knock on my door (Roger and Debbie Clemons) or give me a call (Melanie Brumlow) to let me know David was in the hospital. Thank you to the nurses and doctors at North Park Hospital in Hixson and especially to Hospice of Chattanooga personnel for taking care of David and allowing him to go with dignity and peace.
You see, I had expected a much different ending for my brother. David lived a life for David. He was always on the edge. He could be loving and kind and he could be cutting and mean. He was a true contradiction in every sense of the word. People spoke of what a great guy he was and I do remember that guy – but I also remember the guy who did such irreparable harm to loved ones that I had distanced myself from his life for the past few years.
Drugs and alcohol ruined David’s life. He made his choices and no matter how many times he was given the chance to break away from the life that he lived, he chose – rather verbally and forcefully – to continue the way he lived. He made those choices. And he died because of those choices. My prayer is for those with family members that continue to struggle. It is not easy watching them slowly kill themselves.
David was born in Chattanooga, TN and lived most of his life here in Soddy Daisy. He graduated from Soddy Daisy High School in 1974 and joined the U.S. Navy shortly after that. He served from July 1974 – onboard USS OGDEN (LPD-5) and received an honorable discharge in June 1977. David remained friends with his Navy Shipmates throughout his life and I believe David’s best and proudest moments in this lifetime were carried in his memories of his time in the Navy.
After his military service, David spent several years as a pipefitter. Dave will be remembered by many people who knew him as “Fuzz” and by those of us who prayed that he would change before it was too late. David was . . . David.
David was preceded in death by parents Bill and Mary (Libby) Lusk and sister Debra Yother. David is survived by sister Diana Fleshman and brother Dow Edward Lusk, along with aunts, uncles and cousins and several nieces and nephews.

If you know of someone suffering from addiction to drugs and alcohol, please continue to pray for them and offer resources to help. Even if they do not accept your help, you will at least know you tried.

Rest in Peace David – your sister Diana.

Arrangements by Companion Funeral and Cremation Services in Cleveland, TN.
Burial with Military Honors at Chattanooga National Cemetery on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 12:30pm.