David Hancock

HANCOCK, David C. “Cal” Captain  CHARLTON: David Calvin Hancock, retired Delta Airlines passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at the Overlook Health Center in Charlton, MA on February 15, 2022.

David nickname “Cal” born June 23, 1927 in Somerville, MA celebrated his 94th birthday with his children: Amy B. Ziminsky of Mason, NH, Susan A. Hale Plaistow, NH, and David A. Hancock Portsmouth, NH. Dear husband of the late Barbara Rundlet Hancock who passed in January, 2012 and brother of the late Donald B. Hancock and sister Elizabeth A. MacAskill of Medford, MA. Dear son of the late Adelaide Barbour Hancock and David A. Hancock. Loving grandfather of Christopher and Jason Hale, Robert and Tanya Ziminsky, Anne M. EdlerYung, Taylor Edler, Jacob, Matthew and Emily Hancock. Loving great grandpa to James Ziminsky, Jonah Nelson Hancock & Reuben Nelson Hancock, Thomas, Amelia, and Calvin Hale, Adriana, Aurora, Christian and Joshua Hale. He cherished his association with all the wonderful extended family members in Newfoundland including David and Vi Parsons, great nephew David Butt and all the Butt cousins, dear friends and caretakers of his NL home in Jamestown, Melvin and Loretta Moss.

David was a cradle Episcopalian who grew up singing in the choir of Christ Church in Cambridge, MA. His wife Barbara was raised as a Unitarian and attended the First Parish Church next door. David attended Rindge Technical high school and met Barbara when he was fifteen at a bowling alley in Harvard Square where they became fast friends. World War ll was going on when they graduated from high school and that affected both of their lives. David enlisted in the Marine Corps and was on the verge of being deployed to the Pacific Theater when the Japanese surrendered. He ended up his enlistment as a guard at a prisoner-of-war camp in Portsmouth, NH. David stayed in touch with Barbara throughout their time apart and they were married in August, 1949.

Also in 1949, he was fortunate to land a job as Purser with Eastern Airlines. It was not the job of his choice, but at least it put him in the right industry. David had always dreamed of being an airplane pilot and after his return from the Marines, he entered training at East Coast Aerotech to secure his pilot’s license. During the time he was there he picked up whatever jobs he could to pay for the expensive flying lessons while raising four young children with Barbara’s stalwart support to achieve his goal. In 1955 he earned his commercial pilot’s license, and began his successful career as a professional pilot. He flew with Northeast Airlines and eventually became a senior pilot for Delta Airlines based out of Boston, Ma. until his retirement in 1988. He co-directed many Northeast and later Delta Airline celebrations for the pilots who were retiring. He received a lot of collegial fan mail for planning and hosting those memorable events.

David always encouraged his three girls and one son to study hard and establish career goals. In 1961 he moved his family from Cambridge, to Reading, MA to enjoy a more suburban lifestyle where the school district had a good rating. In June, 1967 the family moved again to Atkinson, NH where David soon supported wife Barbara’s dream to establish a private day care center and pre-school, Hancock’s Child Care Center. The center flourished for seven years and served several local community young children under the Hancock’s direction.

David, Barbara and mother-in-law “Nana” Marguerite Rundlet later moved to live in Exeter then a beautiful ocean setting on Great Bay Rd. Durham, NH. While flying with Delta, a pilot friend introduced David to the Spruce Creek Fly- In Community, Port Orange FL. After Nana Rundlet passed, David and Barbara decided to become snow birds enjoying many winters there together.

David’s family had lived in Newfoundland since the 1600's and after visiting his grandfather John Alfred Hancock for the first time in 1956, he established warm family bonds and fell in love with life on the “rock.” David and Barbara enjoyed their summers in Brooklyn and later Jamestown NL for almost forty years while visiting family and friends.

David enjoyed flying his Comanche, fishing, boating and making his famous walking canes from alder tree branches found in NL. He was great at fixing things and a hobbyist woodworker. He belonged to several Masonic organizations including Rose of Sharon Lodge and Aleppo Shrine. Throughout his later adult life, he was very committed to Grace Episcopal Church in Port Orange, St. George Episcopal church in Durham, NH and had a variety of responsibilities in previous churches including a stint as Senior Warden. He was a stalwart supporter of many charities and churches including the Washington National Cathedral and other churches in NH, MA and NL. Always a sports fan, he was thrilled to see the Red Sox and the Patriots bring home the big trophies.  

David will be remembered fondly for his warm smile, telling stories about Newfoundland, and impromptu accordion and Harmonica playing to entertain family and friends. Family favorites include his rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “Tony Spumoni the Ice Cream Man,” “We Are the Hancock Girls,” and “George Washington Bridge.”

The family wishes to thank the Overlook Masonic Home and the many care givers in the skilled nursing department for ensuring David’s wellbeing during the ninth inning of his wonderful life.

The funeral will be held on Saturday, February 19th at 1:00 pm at Belanger-Bullard Funeral Home, 51 Marcy St. Southbridge, MA.

Condolences can be sent to www.BelangerFuneralHome.com  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children www.shrinerschildrens.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org