David George Brangaccio

David George Brangaccio, age 77, of New Smyrna Beach, died Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at Halifax Health Hospice, Orange City Facility, during Hurricane Dorian.  Born in Newark, New Jersey to David John and Marjorie Hahn Brangaccio, Dave came to NSB, with his wife Pam in 2009, and had been a Florida resident since 1978.

He was the Assistant OMB Director for Lee County; OMB Director for Martin County and retired in 2003 as Financial Services Manager of Manatee County. He had earlier worked 13 years for the IRS in KY and Tennessee, before he made his way south to Florida to sail year round, after a too-cold winter in Nashville.

David was an active member of the Smyrna Yacht Club Board of Governors, Smyrna Sailors, and Old Men of the Sea. In March 2018, Dave received the state-wide Yachtmen of the Year Award from the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs.

He was an award winning sailor, with numerous racing trophies, on the west and east coast of Florida. He could find cat paws of wind when no one else could on a race course. If there were two boats on the water, it became a race for Dave. Dave was a fleet captain at Smyrna Yacht Club and active member since 2010.

He was a calm presence as a volunteer sailing school instructor for both adults and youths at the Smyrna Yacht Club, when his three youngest grand girls were certified in the SYC youth summer sailing camp; it was one of his proudest moments. Dave had learned to sail as a teenager on the NJ shore.

Dave sailed every Wednesday with the Old Men and the Sea, as well as raced SYC  precisions on Saturdays.

Dave truly enjoyed his sailing retirement and spent many weeks; after the annual SYC Lipton Cup Race, cruising in the Abacos on his Morgan 38 Xanadu, with boating friends and family joining him. Dave and Pam also traveled numerous times internationally and finished all fifty USA states in November 2018.

Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Pam to whom he provided amazing support, and calm center, in her local government career; 2 sons, Steve (Anoush) Brangaccio in Tallahassee; and David (Jan) Brangaccio in Tampa; 2 grandsons, David Brangaccio, and Nicholas Brangaccio; both of Tampa; 4 granddaughters, Lindsey Brangaccio of Orlando; Amelia Brangaccio; Maya Brangaccio; and Olivia Brangaccio; all of Tallahassee; brother, Robert (Nancy) Brangaccio of New Jersey; 2 sisters, Ann Ferguson; and Nina (Ralph) Penick; all of Port St. Lucie.  Also survived by nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Peter.

A celebration of Dave’s life and sailing adventures with his many friends and family will be 12 Noon on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at Smyrna Yacht Club. Dave’s storied sailing adventures go from Ft. Myers, Palm Beach, Treasure Island, Panama City, over to NSB. Come with a story to share on October 5th as we celebrate a Sailor who went out on a hurricane.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest donations to Pancreatic Cancer Research, P.O. Box 1848, Longmont,  CO 80502; as Dave’s battle with PC was over 17 months; 12 of which were about sailing and travel among the 26 chemo infusions; all possible through cancer research; or Red Cross Hurricane Relief for his beloved Abaco Islands.