Dave was born on Jan. 18, 1941, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the first of two sons of Elwood Carl and Verna Marcella (Peterson) Lampe. He married Ruth Eickstaedt on Feb. 1, 1963, in Storm Lake near Buena Vista College, where they fell in love during a production of “The Lark.” Dave lost Ruth far too early, in 2015. His family takes solace in knowing they are together again.
He is survived by two sons, Jeff (Monica) Lampe of Elmwood and Paul (Kathy) Lampe of Rochester N.Y.; seven grandchildren, Henry, Victor, Meghan, Lauren, Walter, John and Caitlin; brother Rick (Maxine) Lampe of Storm Lake, Iowa; brother-in-law Larry Eickstaedt of Olympia, Wash.; sister-in-law Cherie Eickstaedt of Denver; several nieces and nephews; and some favorite cousins.
While Dave grew up on a grain and livestock farm near the small Iowa town of Albert City, he preferred books over tractors. When not doing farm chores or tending to his prize calf, Shorty, he preferred to read in his treehouse. So, it was fitting that after leaving Albert City and graduating from Buena Vista College, he earned a master’s degree and doctorate in English at the University of Nebraska.
Dave taught briefly at Bemidji (Minn.) State College, Buena Vista College and the University of Nebraska before moving to Buffalo in 1969, where he spent 37 years teaching English literature at SUNY Buffalo State College/University. Not content with the same courses year after year, he relished the reading and learning required to teach a new subject. He began as a 15th century English scholar and evolved regularly, becoming expert at Irish poetry and, eventually, Canadian literature. And he never really retired, not from reading, writing or learning.
He published three books of poetry, “Close to the Bone,” “Anonymous of Elmwood” and “The Trees Walked” and edited eight books and anthologies, including “The Legend of Being Irish” and “Five Irish Poets.” He also published at least 25 scholarly works. Another passion was bringing hundreds of poets and writers to Buffalo, among them three Pulitzer Prize winners and a cast of characters that included John Montague, Thomas Kinsella, Seamus Heaney, Wendell Berry, David Huddle, Henry Taylor, Gwendolyn Brooks, Barry Callaghan, Robert Creeley and William Kennedy. Late nights and loud toasts were a common occurrence in the Buffalo home he inhabited for 53 years until moving back to the Midwest. And his public-access television appearances, dubbed “Poet’s Corner” by a fellow scholar, were something to see.
Aside from Ruth, Dave had a few other loves: travel, books, jazz, golf, mussels, whiskey and wine. He also loved his children and grandchildren, most of whom he took on European vacations. A favorite pastime was reading to anyone who would listen, even if he had to walk after them when they left the room.
He was a founder of Western New York Medievalists, a director of the Faculty-Student Association at Buffalo State and worked with Ruth for the betterment of their beloved Parkside neighborhood in Buffalo. Born and raised a Lutheran, he joined the Roman Catholic Church in 2024 and, in recent months, had been researching popes and the papacy.
A visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elmwood. A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. at the church, followed by a luncheon. The Rev. James Pankiewicz will preside. Burial will be later this summer in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in rural Albert City. A poetry reading in Dave’s honor will be held this fall in Buffalo. Memorials may be made to BYE Ambulance or to the Elmwood Fire Department.
The family thanks the staff, really the family, at Country Comfort for making Dave feel so at home in Elmwood.
Condolences can be left online at oakshinesfuneralhome.com.
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