Kathy Rogers wrestled with tears as she spoke about her brother.
She recalled his contagious laughter and his constant refusal to
put himself before others. A loving father, a caring uncle and a
selfless companion: David Vogel was all these things, and more.
”
He was probably the best friend that anybody could ever ask
for,
”
Rogers said.
”
He treated everyone like he knew them forever. He valued his
friendships.
”
City employee Vogel, 40, died Monday when he was struck and
killed by a vehicle while performing routine street inspections on
Farrell Avenue.
Kathy Rogers wrestled with tears as she spoke about her brother. She recalled his contagious laughter and his constant refusal to put himself before others. A loving father, a caring uncle and a selfless companion: David Vogel was all these things, and more.
“He was probably the best friend that anybody could ever ask for,” Rogers said. “He treated everyone like he knew them forever. He valued his friendships.”
City employee Vogel, 40, died Monday when he was struck and killed by a vehicle while performing routine street inspections on Farrell Avenue, according to the city. The incident is being investigated by the City of Gilroy and the Gilroy Police Department.
Before heading to work that morning, Vogel phoned his longtime friend, Roy Alba, to tell him he was heading over to help finally remove a pesky spark plug from Alba’s truck. Alba didn’t want to trouble him, saying they could fix the problem later that week. Vogel insisted.
“He wanted to do the job right,” Alba said. “He was always around to help.”
Vogel’s death, believed to be the first by a city employee in the line of duty, left droves of coworkers, friends and family members stunned. The attendance at his funeral service, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at South Valley Community Church in Gilroy, is expected to reach into the hundreds.
Still reeling from his passing, those closest to Vogel shared what made him unforgettable.
“He was just a kind-hearted, fun-loving person,” Alba said. “I loved him like a brother. If I could ever pick a brother, it would have been David.”
Vogel was born and raised in Gilroy, and played baseball at Gilroy High School before competing at Gavilan College and then Mission College in Santa Clara. He later played at Sonoma State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business and human resources. He loved to barbecue tri-tip, root for the Oakland Raiders and was described as a “crazy golfer” by his mother, Rosemarie Vogel. He often played at Gilroy Golf Course and Eagle Ridge Golf Course, she said.
Vogel adored Juanita Diaz, his girlfriend of more than 10 years, and their 10-year-old daughter Samantha. They had been engaged for approximately two years, though no wedding date had been set.
He was uncle to his sister’s three daughters, Randi, Morgan and Cameron. Rogers said her favorite memories of her brother were their lengthy, candid talks. She said her brother often confided in her. If he had even one ounce of envy in his body he never showed it.
“He was a great brother and a great uncle,” Rogers said. “He was always happy for you.”
From his buddy, Vogel received the friendly nickname “genius.”
Alba bestowed the nickname while the two were roommates at Mission College. For every problem – dank weather or a subpar fishing day, for example – Vogel never failed to unveil a confident, detailed explanation.
“You learn a lot about someone when you live with them,” Alba said. “He always had a theory of why it worked or how it happened. He was really a unique character in that sense.”
Vogel joined the City of Gilroy as a part-time maintenance employee in April 1997 before being promoted to a full-time position the following January. Flags flew at half-staff this week at city offices in Gilroy and Morgan Hill in his memory.
In the city’s corporation yard on Old Gilroy Street, a street sign replica reading “Never Forget D.V. 3.14.11” was affixed to a light pole. On Wednesday morning, city recreation officials delivered pastries and offered words of support to Vogel’s coworkers.
Some workers attended grief counseling sessions or sought out City Chaplain Malcolm McPhail.
Senior civil engineer David Stubchaer said productivity and morale had been low since Vogel’s death. He said it wasn’t clear when, if at all, things would return to normal.
“We’re having a tough time,” Stubchaer said. “People’s heads aren’t clear enough to go back on the street.”
Stubchaer said Morgan Hill has offered to send some of its staff to Gilroy to assist with any maintenance work, if needed.
“I think we’ll take them up on that offer, especially during the funeral,” Stubchaer said. “We’d do the same thing for them.”
Mario Iglesias, Morgan Hill public works manager, said Vogel’s death “really hit a nerve.”
“We’re all sorry to hear what happened,” he said. “We are more than happy to help out.”
The City of Gilroy will attempt to lend its support to Vogel’s family as well. Stubchaer said city officials have discussed creating a scholarship for Vogel’s daughter to assist with finances.
“He’s no longer around to earn a living,” Stubchaer said. “We’re trying to be there for the family.”
Rosemarie Vogel said Thursday her son’s death “just doesn’t seem real.”
Rogers said family members had been experiencing “ups and downs” since the accident. She said she was not surprised that so many people had been affected by her brother’s death. He put smiles on many faces during his life, she said.
“There’s not enough you could say about him,” she said. “You were drawn to be around him.”
To read David Vogel’s obituary, click here.
