It is with tremendous sadness that we inform the fraternity of 3 cushion billiard players across this country of the passing of Dave Van Lokeren.
Those of us that had the pleasure of knowing him and the privilege to call him a friend will miss him dearly. Never has there been a more gracious player in terms of his overall demeanor. Whether he was practicing or competing, winning or losing, running 8 or missing for 4 or 5 consecutive innings, David was always in control of his emotions. But it was more than his emotions that were being controlled, it was really his respect for the people around him that made him what he was and ultimately to become known as 'Gentleman Dave'.
Whether you were a friend of his from Detroit or got to spend time with him more recently in Rhode Island or whether you got to compete with him in Tacoma or New York or Boston, you had no choice but to be struck by his persona. He was genuine, he was compassionate, he was loving, a fierce competitor and a lover of life. His huge family is so blessed to call him dad or uncle or brother or cousin. We, in the billiard fraternity, if we were lucky, got to call him friend.
Dave accomplished much in his life and one of his long time dreams came to fruition. If you were fortunate enough to share in the reality of this dream, you understand where we're coming from. The Reserve. Dave opened a room with a 3 cushion billiard table and welcomed all to it. When I say that each and every time I was able to make it to Rhode Island and spend a few hours at the Reserve playing Dave and friends, I never once could walk into that 'room' without a tear coming to my eye. It was as peaceful and elegant to a 3 cushion player as any place on earth could be and it exuded from Dave and his love for the game, life and his friends.
Thank you for allowing a couple of Dave's many friends to share this brief message with you and thank you for remembering David Van Lokeren with us.
We'll love and remember him forever.
Mazin Shooni and Joe DeAmato