David Theurer Call

David Theurer Call, #DaveCall, was one of the most beautiful souls to walk the planet. He was kind at his core. He was a voracious learner and had the most curious mind. He loved figuring out the science of every aspect of life. He found joy in surprising and delighting those around him with all he discovered.

He was born April 12, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to John Randall and Paula Call. As a child, David was known as the best kid, right up until he went to kindergarten. He loved to hide in the clothing racks, was always able to undo the intricate latch on his child leash, and was known for disassembling appliances, just to see how they work.

David survived meningitis at 6 years old. He lost his hearing from this event. In the years to come, his family and friends debated whether he had always been able to teach himself everything, or if the loss of hearing sparked a new way for him to learn and discover the world around him. Yet despite his hearing loss, David was the most attentive listener.

He graduated from Olympus High School in 1996. He spent the next seven years at community college, until one day he had a teacher who said they never gave out As. David, always one for a challenge, decided he was going to get the first A. He had a brilliant mind and could conquer any challenge, although he was occasionally guilty of letting “perfect” be the enemy of “good enough.” Eventually, David decided he was done coasting at SLCC and went on to excel in the University of Utah’s Mechanical Engineering program.  He loved the complexities presented by mechanical engineering and problem solving.

David loved dreaming and then doing. A friend would be going camping in the desert, so David would draw up schematics for a functioning swamp cooler made from five-gallon buckets, sponges, and surgical tubing. And he would build it and it would work. And he loved to explore. He would spend the winter and the spring studying guidebooks, finding the best places in Utah for hiking and backpacking. He would optimize his ultralight gear and take off with his best friends for days at a time, or he would summit King’s Peak, solo. There was a limitless supply of adventures to be had and limitless opportunities to optimize one more thing before setting off to tackle something new.   

David had always talked about becoming a lawyer, and he was torn between law school and continuing in mechanical engineering. He got his J.D. from the SJ Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, where he stood out for his brilliant approach to problem solving. Despite earning excellent grades and demonstrating his outstanding ability to apply his technical skills into patent drafting, he never grew to love the practice of law. But, oh, how he loved the people he met. He always said that he was so thankful for his time at law school because he met the very best people who were not only his friends but his family.

David was a shareholder at Maschoff Brennan and decided in 2021 that, despite years of success as a patent attorney, it was time to retire from the practice of law. He joined his partner Randi Smith in creating Smalls & Co. Design, and he supported Randi’s lifelong dream of having her own interior design firm. As Randi said, David put the ALL in Smalls & Co. With Smalls & Co., David’s love for learning found a new home and he quickly excelled by applying his technical acumen to the CAD programs and design software that helped elevate the services Smalls & Co. could offer. Everyone could see the brilliance that came into being when Randi and David brought their skills together at Smalls & Co.  And joining Randi in business, as it had in every other aspect of his life, brought the spark back to David’s beautiful brown smiling eyes.

David loved Randi and she loves him. They met in 2003 after the fingernail incident, and it was love at first sight for both of them. After two weeks of flirting, they became inseparable. They loved the simplicity of being in each other’s company. Everything was an adventure, no matter how mundane or how grand. They were one another’s best friend, and they always said they were on the same team. They lived together in their home, Smalls Manor, that they spent the last 6 years remodeling from top to bottom. They had the most beautiful life together, full of love, joy, and so, so much laughter.

David is survived by the love of his life Randi Smith. His parents John Randall and Paula Call. Siblings Sarah Cushing, Jennifer Collings, and Michael Call, and their spouses Clint, Clark, and Maggie. He is also survived by his nieces, nephews, Randi’s family, and the incredible friends and family who loved him.

We hope his family and friends will join us as we plan to celebrate his life on what would have been David’s 46^th birthday - April 12, 2024. Details will be provided in time.

Do not cry for him, for he will live on in each of our hearts. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Human Rights Campaign in his name, but only if you want to, he would never pressure you to do something.