On Monday July 6, 2026, David Emmanuel Wohlwill passed away peacefully at his treasured Friendship neighborhood home in the City of Pittsburgh, knowing he was so well loved and cherished.  David waged a courageous battle with aggressive stomach cancer and managed a very full life while undergoing treatment since his diagnosis in March 2024  David touched countless lives with his gentle nature, warmth, willingness to always help, and kindness, leaving behind precious memories for all that knew him.  As a very dear friend said, “to know David is to love David.”

David’s life was rich and interesting from the start. David was born on October 13, 1957, to Felicitas (Fay) Schwartz Wohlwill and Joachim (Jack) Wohlwill in Geneva, Switzerland, where his father was a visiting professor. The family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts when David’s father accepted a position at Clark University.  They lived there through 1970 at which time the family relocated to State College, Pennsylvania when David’s father began teaching at Penn State.  David graduated from State College Area High School in 1975. 

David pursued his undergraduate studies in political science and environmental studies at the University of California/Santa Barbara.  This included an internship with United States House Representative Leon Panetta.

From 1979-81, David was a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) first in Columbus, Ohio, and then in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  From January 1982 until May 1984 David studied Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and interned at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Lifetime friendships were formed during these years and continued to be a great source of joy.

In September 1984, David began working for the New York State Department of Transportation in Albany.    

In March 1989 David moved to Pittsburgh to begin working for the Port Authority of Allegheny County (subsequently named Pittsburgh Regional Transit) where he remained employed until the time of his passing. During his 37 years of dedicated service, he played a significant role in improving public transit across the region. He made noteworthy contributions to a wide variety of projects including the North Shore Connector and the First Avenue Light Rail Transit Station among others.  Former and current colleagues described him as an exceptional planner, a consummate transit professional, deeply knowledgeable in his field but always open to listening and learning from the community, a gifted public speaker, and a consensus builder.  David was incredibly passionate about transit and the communities PRT served and made a lasting impact on PRT and on many people who had the chance to work with him over the years.

In Pittsburgh is where he met his life partner the “ever lovely lady Lee Ann” (as coined by David’s close grad school pal) at the 40th birthday party/fundraiser for his then City Councilman Bill Peduto. An event attendee who is now a very close friend, said she felt the fireworks go off when they met. This November would have marked 22 years of their love story.  

David’s commitment to service extended beyond PRT. He was a very generous donor to a number of philanthropic causes and a frequent volunteer at food banks, soup kitchens, and neighborhood events, among others.

David loved trains from an early age and had a train set by the age of 6 or 7. This served him well for his career, rail advocacy efforts, travel, and sharing knowledge.  He made many trips across the USA and Canada. These trips also fed into his love of nature as he often went to National Parks like Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon, Acadia, and the Canadian Rockies.

After David’s father died, David organized and led the family vacations.  He enjoyed taking the family to places like the Finger Lakes in New York and to Scenic West Virginia.  He also loved lake and ocean trips (particularly the Great Lakes), especially if he could get a meal of fresh fish. Walleye was his favorite!

David was a film buff and an avid reader. He would spend hours on Sunday reading the New York Times. He also was very knowledgeable in American History and was well read in the subject.

A lifelong lover of music, David played clarinet in high school and was in the marching band.  David also loved to dance and liked Jazz, R and B/ Soul and was dubbed “Dr. Disco Dave, PhD of Funk” for his antics on the dance floor during his grad school days.

David’s other passions included industrial history and the Rust Belt. Lee Ann must have thought David was pretty special because their first two out of town trips were to Cleveland and Milwaukee. Little did he know at first that she was a Rust Belt lover too!  The match was solidified!  Other favorite activities of theirs included walking the river trails, biking, going to art and history museums, attending lectures, spending time with family and friends, and traveling, among others.  2025 travel highlights included a Danube River Cruise and a trip to Maine to celebrate David’s birthday. 

David is survived by his beloved life partner Lee Ann; his brother Arthur, cherished family and extended family, and countless dear friends and colleagues who will deeply miss David. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on David’s birthday, October 13, 2026, at the Pump House in Homestead from 4-8pm. 

Memorial donations can be made to a charitable organization of your choice or to the National Parks Conservation Association or Cancer Bridges.  Arrangements by John A. Freyvogel Sons, Inc. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com)