Remembering Dave Camp: A man who loved his family, sports teams and bowling

I didn’t need a ball drop or a turn of the calendar to tell me it was the new year.

Early every January, like clockwork, Dave Camp would text to let me know the Princeton Master’s bowling tournament was starting up.

He would follow up with each weekend’s results and photos to help give the bowlers some recognition.

Dave took it upon himself to help promote the sport of bowling in Princeton and the baseball teams he coached. He was deeply attached to all of his fellow bowlers, youth bowlers and ball players.

Sadly, those texts won’t come next month. We lost Dave to a tragic accident on Friday north of Ottawa, where he had just attended his brother’s (Jason Smith) Princeton Tiger basketball team’s game. His wife, Melinda, and son, Michael, were both injured, but recovering, and his daughter, Lexee, was treated and released.

It is a loss shared by the whole community and the many lives Dave touched in his humorous way. To know Dave was to love Dave.

And we all did.

Dave started up the Princeton Post 125 American Legion team so that kids like Michael could play baseball. He kept it going for the kids long after Michael was done. He didn’t have to, but he did for the love of the kids and the game.

“David Camp’s first legion team was with a bunch of kids like myself who just wanted to keep playing baseball. He started a group chat and said let’s keep doing this and worked effortlessly to make it happen,” said Kyle Arnett, a 2012 Princeton High School grad. “I think we just shared jokes more than we talked baseball on those chains. All he wanted was to see us happy and together. He made those summers better.”

Another one of Dave’s legion kids is Tanner Kuhne, 26, of Princeton. He said his best memory was knocking off a very good Peoria team to win the championship game in Kewanee.

“That game and that summer was the most fun I ever had playing baseball and Dave was a huge part in that,” he said. “I could write a book on Dave. One thing that stands out about Dave was his love for baseball. Dave was all about competing/winning, but he was also about having fun and giving opportunities to all that wanted to play. Not very often you find a coach that is as welcoming as he was.

“Speaking for myself and for all of his former players, he will be greatly missed in the community and on the field.”

Lexee Camp started a memorial page for her dad on Facebook and tributes came pouring in. Here is a sample:

Robin Camp Eikenberry described her brother “as kind, funny, loved his sports, but most of all loved his family very much.”

Chris Eggers said he’s going to miss bowling and “sitting around talking sports with Dave.”

Gretchen Currie got to meet Dave when her son, Nicholas, joined the Legion team. She said Dave was one of his favorite coaches.

“He had such a strong desire to help these kids reach their dreams. I know Nicholas had some amazing experiences and has made some lifelong friends because of Dave and his Princeton Legion team,” she said.

Randy Allen, who formed a lifelong friendship with Dave through bowling and their favorite sports teams, and “cheered as our Cubs finally won a world series, diagnosed exactly what the Illini needed to do to be relevant, and shared our despair for how bad the Bears are,” said he’s going to miss those times terribly.

“You take these things for granted, never expecting to not have another chance to have those conversations again,” he said.

Garrett Allen said “it’s hard to write this knowing how many lives you truly impacted. You made a team full of misfits enjoy summer baseball and gave us some of the greatest memories we could have made together. Growing up you were always apart of all of our lives. I’ll always cherish all of the times you helped coach juniors, would talk about endless sports with me, and how just this past week how excited you were for me to be a basketball coach. You always showed compassion, understanding, and were always someone that was there to help. The Princeton community sure will miss you.”

Chris Stier, a longtime friend/bowling teammate, said “He always was there for his family and his friends and never was shy about lending a helping hand. Dave has been there to listen and give advice throughout all my adult life since we’ve been friends. He’s been a pillar in the bowling community for years. Always stepping in to help with tournaments, youth, and even helping making improvements to the bowling center when able to. Dave was a great man, a great friend, and a great dad. He will be missed.”

Tracy Joiner Nally said, “If you ever needed anything, Dave was there to give a helping hand without hesitation.”

John Donofrio said, “His love for coaching youth in sports was passionate and never ending. His positive influence from coaching for so many over the years will never be matched or be forgotten.”

Kaden Baker said, “In the youth bowling league he helped teach me to slow down and be calm. I appreciated his guidance and teaching.”

Chris Layton said Dave has been a part of his life “for as long as I can remember and I will always cherish his jokes and wise words.”

Kayla Miller said, “I am going to miss Dave’s loving and joyful personality. I am grateful I had him as a bowling coach. The advice he would give me every time I stepped up to the lanes will forever change my life.”

Emma Nicoli said, “Dave was the best bowling coach a kid could have asked for. He made me into the bowler I am today.”

Nicole Walker said, “Dave was one of the junior bowling coaches when I started and I told him, ‘I can’t even throw the bowling ball,’ and he said ‘Yes you can.’ I was in junior bowling for quite awhile and I can remember him saying the more practice the better.”

Carla Vergamini said, “David was an amazing mentor, coach, a very kind soul always full of life, laughter and care. He meant a lot to my kids very much.”

Matt Putts said, “You could tell Dave had a lot of passion for things and the people he loved. What a great man.”

The lives that Dave has touched are endless and these are just a sample of the many remembrances of a good man, yet to come. I will remember him as a good friend and a man who loved his family and sports teams.

I asked Jason Smith how he thought his big brother would like to be remembered. He said, “That he was a guy that loved his wife and kids very much and for having a lot of passion and love for bowling and baseball and hoped he passed that on to the kids.”

* In closing, I’d also like to express my condolences to the family of Beau Harp, 50, who passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Nov. 27. He was an old Walnut Blue Raider standout and a devoted follower to his kids’ (Drew, Ellie and Sophie) extracurricular activities in Princeton. He, too, will be deeply missed.

Kevin Hieronymus has been the BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com