Randy was a great guy. Sometime during the mid-'90's, I was doing an arbitration in New York City, and made it one night to Broadway to see Jekyll and Hyde. I spotted Randy in the orchestra pit, sent a note to meet me at the State Door afterwards, and it was great to connect with him!  Sorry that we have lost him so early.

Posted on: Jun 15, 2022 at 11:47 AM

Memorial Note

David Baker Fleming ‘72, known to most of us as Dave, died way too young on July 28, 1987at the age of 37.  At Oberlin he was Senior Resident in Barnard during the 1971-72 school year. He served for several years as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, responsible for the disposition of student Honor Code violations.  He was a gifted athlete, and played almost every intramural sport.  He had an infectious smile and a great laugh. He made friends easily and often.

After Oberlin, Dave attended Lewis & Clark Law School in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1975.   Following graduation, he clerked for a year for a circuit court judge in Fairbanks, Alaska, a valuable experience that served as a prelude to his being appointed as a local magistrate in the small rural village of Nenana,  60 miles outside of Fairbanks. During his second year in Alaska, he also served periodically as an Acting District Court Judge in Fairbanks, the youngest appointee ever to serve in that capacity. He was devoted to his chosen practice of law, and saw it as a vehicle for improving the lives of the people he encountered.

Following his return to his beloved Portland, Dave struggled for years with increasingly serious health issues until his untimely passing in 1987.  He was a thoughtful, talented, and very bright individual, who influenced many people during his relatively short life. 

As the U.S. and so much of the world is going through this time of extreme polarization, we are reminded of David’s unique ability to conduct thoughtful discussions, and his untiring efforts to build unity wherever he could.  We miss him every day.

Louis Fleming ‘71                                       Edward Hartfield ‘72

Cary san, I enjoyed reading about how you have spent your time since Oberlin. Your ExCo course was essential in me getting a head start in Japanese, doing well at Waseda, and then having a very successful Shansi Fellowship experience in Kanazawa. Sorry I won't be seeing you at the Reunion, but I do want to say, however belatedly, Domo Arigato Gozaimasu! Ed Hartfield