David Andrew Treffs

Born March 21, 1933

Died July 3, 2026

David (Dave) Andrew Treffs, of Wayland and formerly of Lexington Massachusetts,  passed away peacefully July 3, 2026 at the age of 93. A Veteran of the US Coast Guard Dave was the son of the late Andrew and Anna Treffs. His love of life and his devotion to his wife, Emma, of 70 years kept him fighting through years of dialysis for kidney disease when others might have given up.

Dave was particularly (in)famous for his quick wit and enduring humor. (There was the time he got locked in a trunk at a very fine restaurant…but perhaps that's a story for another time.) His many skills ranged from playing the violin to carving whistles from willow branches. He was creative and artistic…he painted, he fixed things, he built stuff. Having traveled the world well into his 80's for both work and pleasure he and Emma made lifelong friends of strangers everywhere they went.

David was born in Glendale New York and moved with his parents and younger sister to the back woods of the Adirondacks in 1945.  The hundred and fifty year-old farmhouse they purchased outside the township of Schroon Lake had neither running water nor electricity, and he spent the next 5 years after school and on vacations helping his father modernize it. He remembered this time as difficult (particularly digging a basement) but supremely rewarding. While in high school David picked up the violin and developed his lifelong love of classical music.  After he graduated (with the other 11 members of his class), David went on to SUNY Maritime College where he earned a degree in Marine Engineering (eventually also earning a Masters in Engineering Management from Northeastern University and Certificates of Advanced Graduate Studies from Boston College and MIT).  He joined the Coast Guard in 1956 and was stationed as an Ordinance Officer in Germany, where he met his beloved Emma and her young daughter, Eveline (Evi).  After marrying in Ansbach, David brought his new family stateside and landed briefly in Scituate MA, followed by Danbury CT and finally to Lexington MA, where they settled for the next 50 years.  His professional life as a Principal Quality Engineer led him through various firms including Perkin Elmer, GE, Itek, and Polaroid. During those years David was also active as a Reserve Officer in the US Coast Guard, working his way through the ranks from Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander to Captain.  After retiring from Polaroid, David signed on as a consultant with Lexington-based Rath & Strong; developing and teaching statistical and ASQ courses for US companies based in Europe.

Dave's guiding light throughout his life was his devoted family. He is survived by his wife and cherished daughter, his beloved and loving grandchildren Nicholas and Ana Stavropulos, great granddaughter Emory May Bonk, and his son-in-law Peter Stavropulos.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Brigid Church in Lexington on Wednesday, July 15 at 11a.m. Family and friends are invited. Ashes will be interred at a later date at the Bourne National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St Jude Children's Hospital or the National Kidney Foundation.