On June 5th, 2026, mankind lost a good friend with the passing of David J. Gershen of Darnestown, MD. Born July 25,1964 to Barton and Enid Gershen, David was a true Renaissance man who adventured through life with an open mind, always eager for new experiences and knowledge. His curiosity meant he knew - and would willingly educate - about everything from space to music to nature. David graduated Winston Churchill High Class of 1982, earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University before ultimately settling into a highly skilled, long-term career in cybersecurity, only further illustrating the breadth of his expertise.

David was a thoroughly genuine person who lived with no concept of selfishness. He was a thoughtful caretaker for loved ones and strangers alike - the kind of guy who would give anyone the shirt off his back. A friend and ally to everyone, he had a unique talent for gathering and maintaining lifelong friends wherever he went. He could just as easily preserve close ties with his Sigma Chi frat brothers as he could strike up a conversation and make a new friend in a McDonald’s drive-through. It was quintessential Dave to strike up an animated conversation with an elderly woman on a two hour flight and then offer his new friend a ride home so she needn’t trouble her son (true story). He was a devotee of classic rock, and for Dave, the passing of Jerry Garcia was “the day the music died”. He loved animals and people with all his heart and found true purpose in taking care of the people and creatures around him. 

David is survived by his two sisters, Jill Gershen of Darnestown, MD, Cindy Shuman (Mark) of West Chester, PA, his adored nephew Jake Shuman, his beloved dogs, Sierra and Olive, and his darling Washington Nationals. 

He will be interred at the Garden of Remembrance Cemetery in Clarksburg, MD in a private service. His family will host a Celebration of Life later this summer; for further information, please contact his sister, Cindy, at cbshuman@comcast.net. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to KNine Rescue Inc. in Ashton, MD, in honor of David’s profound love for animals.

Services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.