David M. Provoncha, 72, of Storrs, Connecticut passed away peacefully the morning of Saturday June 10th, 2023. He was raised in Morrisville, Vermont and Middletown, Connecticut, graduating from Middletown High School in 1969. David swam competitively in high school and taught swimming lessons at the Northern Middlesex YMCA. He attended Central Connecticut State University where he received a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Arts Education in 1973. He went on to teach industrial arts at East Haven High School until 1976 and at Mount St. John School in Deep River until 1979. David then joined the faculty of Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut where he continued to teach technical education for 30 years, retiring in 2009.
David received his Masters Degree in Education (1985) and Sixth Year Diploma in Professional Education (1992) from the University of Connecticut. He was involved in organizing numerous vocational school programs throughout his career, eventually becoming the Director of Career and Technical Education at E.O.Smith. David held a variety of roles and taught many different “tech ed” classes at the high school - from the days of auto and metal shop right through the transition into the computer age. Early in his career he coached the girls swim team. He also became an honorary member of the school's Future Farmers of America chapter. For eight years, David also served as the area coordinator of the Vernon Adult Education program and was presented with the John E. Ryan Award for Distinguished Friend of Adult Education in 2001.
David had many active hobbies and interests that he loved to share with his family, friends and students over the years including metalsmithing, farming and agriculture, swimming and sailing, skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling and motorcycling, building a log cabin “camp” in Vermont, timber framing with family and his many good friends at Northford Timber Framers, and most recently woodworking and tinkering in his “shop” - always with music playing. He was an attentive, kind teacher and a patient listener with a positive outlook on life. David maintained a good sense of humor about the “big picture.” He always reminded his family that the key to life was to not give up, “to keep moving forward” and “always have a plan B.” He most often had a twinkle in his eye, a contagious smile and always loved spending time working on projects with his friends and family - especially his children and grandchildren.
David is survived by his wife of 35 years Karen (Berg) Provoncha of Storrs, CT, a daughter Sarah Provoncha Burda (Jeffrey) of Staffords Springs, CT and their son Henry, a son Justin Provoncha of Glassboro, NJ, a daughter Danielle Provoncha (Luke Matyi) of Durham, CT and their children Sylvia and Austin, and a step-daughter Renee Allard of Mansfield, CT and her son Ryan who always knew him as “Da”. He also leaves behind numerous extended family members and friends close as family. He was predeceased by his father Leland Provoncha, his mother Joan L’Ecuyer, his brother Dennis Provoncha, his Grandma “Pearl” and Grandpa Provoncha as well as his beloved “Nanny” and Grandpa Kirby, “George and Claire” King and his springer spaniels Meggie and Sadie.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at the Lodge at Crandall Park in Tolland, Connecticut on Friday Aug. 25th, 2023 at 5pm. We invite friends and family to join us to celebrate David’s life and the impact he had on so many. A private family burial will take place in Bristol, Vermont. Online condolences may be made at www.abbeycremation.com
The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to David’s care team at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford, CT - especially Milne2 - and The Connecticut Hospice in Branford, CT for their compassion, humor and true quality care. The family requests in lieu of flowers for donations to be made in David’s name to Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, PO Box 400, Wallingford, CT 06492