Former Army medic from Wiggins was Saints fan
David Seal traveled to Japan to fall in love with a gal from the States.
The Army medical specialist was stationed in Okinawa nearly 40 years ago when he noticed a beautiful woman working in the base obstetrics unit. Two months later, they were married and spent the next 38 years together.
Seal died peacefully in his sleep July 30 from complications from some long-standing medical conditions. He was 57.
Seal, who'd moved to Wiggins from Gulfport, was a family man. He enjoyed talking sports and politics with anyone who'd listen.
Daughter Gretchen Gegenheimer of Poplarville said he was the only person she knew who could debate state, national and world issues as much as she could.
He loved to take his children fishing when they were young and later added his grandchildren to the fun.
Nighttime on the beach was one of his favorite places. It's where he taught Gegenheimer and her three siblings how to flounder and crab. Fishing for him was a leisurely pastime that allowed him to relax and clear his head.
What was not relaxing for Seal was his beloved Saints. He'd yell and cheer with the best of them and supported them through thick and thin.
It's probably because he was born in New Orleans, Gegenheimer said. Seal sold programs for the Saints when they still played at Tulane Stadium.
He was there in 1970 when Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard field goal in the final two seconds to give the Saints a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions, she said.
Seal was overjoyed when his team finally made it to the Super Bowl in 2010 and he celebrated by taking off from work and having a party with his family.
He and Gegenheimer have been on the list for season tickets since.
He loved baseball, too, and rooted for the Houston Astros.
Gegenheimer thinks that secretly he loved baseball the best because he said it was a thinking man's game.
Publicly, he waffled. "He'd say, 'I love football the best in football season and baseball the best in baseball season,' " she said.
A memorial service for Seal is 4 p.m. Monday at Riemann Family Funeral Home in Gulfport. Friends may call an hour prior to services. He'll be buried at Biloxi National Cemetery at a later date.
The Army medical specialist was stationed in Okinawa nearly 40 years ago when he noticed a beautiful woman working in the base obstetrics unit. Two months later, they were married and spent the next 38 years together.
Seal died peacefully in his sleep July 30 from complications from some long-standing medical conditions. He was 57.
Seal, who'd moved to Wiggins from Gulfport, was a family man. He enjoyed talking sports and politics with anyone who'd listen.
Daughter Gretchen Gegenheimer of Poplarville said he was the only person she knew who could debate state, national and world issues as much as she could.
He loved to take his children fishing when they were young and later added his grandchildren to the fun.
Nighttime on the beach was one of his favorite places. It's where he taught Gegenheimer and her three siblings how to flounder and crab. Fishing for him was a leisurely pastime that allowed him to relax and clear his head.
What was not relaxing for Seal was his beloved Saints. He'd yell and cheer with the best of them and supported them through thick and thin.
It's probably because he was born in New Orleans, Gegenheimer said. Seal sold programs for the Saints when they still played at Tulane Stadium.
He was there in 1970 when Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard field goal in the final two seconds to give the Saints a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions, she said.
Seal was overjoyed when his team finally made it to the Super Bowl in 2010 and he celebrated by taking off from work and having a party with his family.
He and Gegenheimer have been on the list for season tickets since.
He loved baseball, too, and rooted for the Houston Astros.
Gegenheimer thinks that secretly he loved baseball the best because he said it was a thinking man's game.
Publicly, he waffled. "He'd say, 'I love football the best in football season and baseball the best in baseball season,' " she said.
A memorial service for Seal is 4 p.m. Monday at Riemann Family Funeral Home in Gulfport. Friends may call an hour prior to services. He'll be buried at Biloxi National Cemetery at a later date.
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