David Windsor Batchelder

SALISBURY — David Windsor Batchelder, 85, passed away in the early morning hours of Feb. 23, 2014.He is survived by his co-vivante, Schatzi Ludwig; his children, David Batchelder and his wife, Michele, of Seattle, Wash., and Anne Keable and her husband, Mark, of South Burlington, Vt.; his grandchildren, Audrey, Sam, Amy and Ben Batchelder; and a great-granddaughter, Gracelyn Mae. A grandson, Thaddeus Batchelder, predeceased him in 2013.David was born in Darien, Conn., on Nov. 9,1928, to Harriet and Windsor Batchelder of Salisbury. At 15, David was introduced to agriculture, under the auspices of Jack and “Blackie” Ware, family friends who farmed near Pound Ridge, N.Y. It became his passion, and he knew from that moment on that he wanted to be a farmer.In words written by classmate Bill Boynton for David in The Spirit of ’51 Award: “with a capacity for hard physical work, an abiding loyalty to friends and institutions in which he believed,” the influence of education, first at Kimball Union Academy and later as a Dartmouth graduate majoring in English, helped David to become his own kind of person. A year at Cornell Agricultural College followed and then north to Stowe, Vt., where David purchased Misty Meadows Farm, adjacent to that of his longtime friends, the Wares. Just two years later, David won the Vermont Green Pastures Award, recognizing him as the outstanding farmer of the year. In 1969, circumstances changed and David moved with his two children to Salisbury, where he apprenticed as a homebuilder and then established his own company, working in ever more intricate detail and pursuing superior craftsmanship.Subsequently, he undertook a position in sales at Pine Plains Tractor & Equipment, Inc., where he organized the sales department, created pricing schedules and befriended many of his customers. He established himself as a hardworking, fair man and enjoyed great success before his retirement.David sought excellence in every venue of his life, most especially in his services to his Dartmouth Class of 1951. As the Class Newsletter editor, he was described as an “institution,” having completed 32 years of service. His love of Dartmouth, his classmates and friends was a lifetime affair. His accolades include, The Spirit of ’51 Award, Class Newsletter of the Year Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award as Class Newsletter Editor, Dartmouth College. Every aspect of his life brought satisfaction. Whether making hay in the later years, corresponding with friends and classmates, or building a new table, he found special pleasure in all his work. David will be missed but he will live forever in fond remembrance.A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 15, 11 a.m., at the Congregational Church in Salisbury.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Dartmouth Class of 1951 Scholarship Fund, c/o Henry Nachman, 14 Dunster Drive, Hanover, NH 03755; or the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, PO Box 582, Salisbury, CT 06068.Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home in North Canaan.