J. David Hester

J. David Hester, who passed away on September 12, 2019 at the age of 57, will forever be remembered for his piercing intellect, wit, compassion and the deep love he felt for his family and expansive circle of friends. 


Born in Pomona, California on May 29, 1962, David grew up in Redlands, California. After attending Eastern College, he graduated from the University of Redlands and later moved to the Bay Area, where he received his PhD in Religious Studies with a specialty in Rhetorical Analysis at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He founded and co-edited the international online journal of rhetorical theory, Queen: a journal of rhetoric and power, exploring gender, healing, religion and other contemporary topics. In addition to his work on Queen, he was co-director of the Rhetorical New Testament Project at the Institute of Antiquity and Christianity at the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.


David’s work in New Testament rhetorical theory and gender issues was widely published. In addition to his dissertation, published as part of a significant series of monographs on critical issues in the New Testament, he wrote several articles and book reviews for leading journals in New Testament studies. He also presented papers at national meetings of the oldest and most prestigious learned society in biblical studies in the United States and was invited to lecture in South Africa and Great Britain. He was co-editor of two books on rhetoric and hermeneutics.


David met his wife Mary (Chrissy) Gardella at a swing dance in 1998. Their first dance sparked an immediate connection. They were married in 2001. Soon after, David received a grant from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to conduct research at the University of Tuebingen, Germany.  He loved living abroad with his wife and two children, building relationships and sharing his curiosity about the world with his family.


After returning to the U.S. in 2004, David balanced his profession as an exceptional Systems Architect for LCG Systems consulting at the National Institutes of Health with exploring his passion for music, cooking and other pursuits. Above all else, David prioritized spending time with family and friends.


David began playing the bagpipe at the age of eight. A talented and disciplined piper, he brought his skill and advocacy to the art of pipe music. A teacher, mentor and inspiration, he believed that practice is the only path to excellence. He worked ardently to revive Pibroch, a bagpipe performance genre informed by ancient scores. His book APC Guide to Pibroch: New Insights into an Ancient Art, was published this year and is available for free, an expression of David’s desire to share his knowledge and promote the genre. 


David was a member of the Rockville, Maryland-based MacMillan Pipe Band, which performs regionally and internationally. The roster also includes David’s daughter, Anael, who plays snares in the band and shares her father’s love for traditional Scottish music. 


David’s musical tastes were broad. He formed and played bass for the band Threnody while living in San Francisco and was executive producer of the underground album Dark City, a compilation of four underground bands, including his own, in San Francisco in the 1980s. He played the violin and later took up the mandolin, which he enjoyed playing with Baltimore friends at house jams. A dedicated fan of David Bowie, he made sure that his children appreciated the rock star.


David was a fierce defender of intellectual freedom, civil rights and social justice. He was an exceptional cook and he and his wife hosted numerous dinner parties and social gatherings. He is remembered for his magnetic personality, for looking people in the eyes in conversation, and for his deep, fervent hugs. David was a thinker and a visionary, and will be profoundly missed by all whose lives he touched.


David is survived by his loving wife, Mary (Chrissy) Gardella and their daughter, Anael, and his son, Cassiel of Baltimore, Maryland;  his parents, Jim and Darilyn (D) Hester of Tucson, Arizona; and brother Micah and sister-in-law, Kelly (Emily, Joshua and Matthew) Hester of Little Rock, Arkansas.


A Celebration of David’s Life will take place on Saturday, October, 19, 2019,  4-6 p.m. at the mansion at Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave, Baltimore, MD 21209..


Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to David’s favorite charity, Heifer International.  A specific memorial page has been created in his honor and can be accessed at https://fundraise.heifer.org/David-Hester

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