David Wood Carling

Our loving husband, father, and grandfather, David Carling, passed away on March 19th, 2024 at Summit Senior Living due to Alzheimer’s Disease.

David was born on February 7th, 1948. He spent his childhood in a four-bedroom home with his parents and seven siblings. He loved his family and still enjoyed talking to them regularly as they all grew into their adult lives. In his early adolescence, he started a band with his brothers and that passion followed him for the rest of his life. David was proud to have the opportunity to study music briefly at the University of Utah. He spent much of the '60s, '70s, and '80s on tour with one band or another throughout the western United States. One of his more notable bands, the Ferraris, was well-known within the region and Dave would still get occasional recognition for his music by people who had seen him play.

Dave hung up his guitar in the ‘80s to settle into family life and married Holly Lucas in 1985. After some struggle, he overcame substance abuse issues to become sober for over 30 years. He worked as a chef for Salt Lake City hotels for most of his adult life. He showed his son how to camp, build things, fish, and appreciate the finer art of professional wrestling. He was the true definition of a gentleman, not refined, but showing a gentle demeanor and calmness rare of men in his generation. Not one for rest, he again took up bass guitar in the 2000s with his final band, Renegade Rose.

David is survived by his wife Holly Carling, son McDevan (Kristen) Carling, daughter Wendy Mobley and Stacy Thacker, step-daughter London (Nathan) McMurrin, sisters Susan Carling Nelson, Sally Carling, and Vickie (Ron) Cook, brother Marc (Kaye) Carling, and grandchildren Rowan, Ashton, Imani, Dasha, Leo, Weston, and Jazmyn. David joins his parents, Frank and Velma, and his siblings Frank B., Michael, and Kay.

His memorial will be held on Monday, April 1st, 5:00-7:00 pm in the Primrose Room at Azalea Event Center, 11277 Kestrel Rise Road, South Jordan.