David Ginzton, 76

David Edward Ginzton, 76, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Sandpoint, Idaho, his home for nearly 50 years. 

Private family services have been held.

While David had mellowed and wisened in his later age, in some respects it amazes that he survived this long: In his vivid life, he survived a plane crash, a poorly-advised emergency landing in a hang-glider, accidentally setting a car on fire at freeway speeds, and being treed by a bear in Alaska, not to mention many hiking, motorcycling, rock climbing, kayaking, and other expeditions where fun and adventure were often prized over safety.

David was born Feb. 23, 1948, in Palo Alto, Calif., the youngest of four children of parents Edward and Artemas Ginzton. A traditional education and career never suited him; he dropped out of UC Davis, instead heeding the call of the wild and venturing first to Yosemite, then to Alaska, and finally to North Idaho, where he pursued jobs ranging from excavation and construction to fine carpentry before settling on his true vocation, sculpture. His art often featured life-size human forms captured in bronze sculpture, particularly children, playing sports and exploring nature. His pieces have been featured in fine art galleries across the country and internationally. A note on the art business: he enjoyed the art a lot more than the business.

A first marriage to Lura Smith yielded two children but did not last. A second marriage to Linda Belknap, now Linda Ginzton, was more successful, lasting more than 40 years and raising five children together.

In Sandpoint in those later years, David was able to combine and pursue his three great loves: his family with Linda and their children; a successful career as an artist; and adventure, best done outdoors, even better if slightly dangerous. He loved to joke around and play pranks, loved to laugh, and often felt more at home on the floor playing with children and grandchildren than pretending to perform any kind of normal adult behavior. His family looks back fondly on memories of David initiating games of “scare” by throwing the circuit breaker for the house and then chasing us around in the dark, on snowmobiling trips in the Selkirks regardless of whether the snowmobiles returned under their own power or dangling from a helicopter, on wild tube rides behind the boat in Lake Pend Oreille, and on many, many ski days at Schweitzer.

David was preceded in death by his parents and brother Leonard Ginzton. He is survived by his wife, Linda Ginzton; his sisters, Anne Cottrell and Nancy Ginzton (who remained un-injured despite David accidentally lighting her on fire in a freak bottle rocket accident); his five children, LaTisha Wood of Spokane, Wash., Matt Ginzton and wife Vanessa Ginzton of San Francisco, Calif., Claire Lukens and husband Nick Lukens of Charlotte, N.C., Nate Ginzton and wife Jennifer Holliday of Boise, Idaho, and Chris Ginzton of Sandpoint, Idaho; and 12 grandchildren.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit David’s online memorial at lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.