Dave
1969 – 2011
On March 21, our good friend and Tina fan Dave passed away. Today we said goodbye to him. It was Dave’s own choice to end his life.
Dave had a rich group of friends around him. He had a life of travelling, going to concerts, socializing with friends and going to nice restaurants. It was a life that many of us envied and admired, and this makes it an even bigger shock that he ended it at the age of 42.
Dave was a Tina Turner fan since 1982. He had the opportunity to go to more than 150 of her concerts. When Tina would be on tour, he would travel the world to see her. He knew Tina fans all over the world and he was the center of our group of Tina friends.
We will remember Dave the most for his generosity and his lifestyle. He often helped fans by sending them Tina items, taking them to concerts or simply phoning them and sharing his experiences. He seemed to be happiest when he could make other people happy. I (Sjef) was fortunate to know Dave for 10 years. During these years he gave me many great opportunities that will never be forgotten. In 2004, he took me to Zürich to see Tina perform in a tv-show. During her last tour, he would help me find tickets and we would often travel together to see her perform. But also when Tina wasn’t performing, we would often phone, go out for dinner together or see concerts.
But more than that, it was his lifestyle and attitude to life that we will remember the most. During the ten years that I’ve known Dave, I have never seen him in a bad mood. Dave always appeared to be optimistic, happy, making jokes and enjoying the good things in life. He wasn’t interested in what other people thought of him and seemed to pass through life with great ease. It is shocking to now find out that there was a completely different side of him that nobody knew about, underneath this happy surface.
Ben and I met each other on the same day as Dave and Ben met for the first time, in Cologne on January 19, 2009, before a Tina Turner show. Dave was supportive when we developed our relationship. He enjoyed spending time with the two of us, and he would often invite us to come to Zwolle, where we would sleep in his favorite hotel and where he would treat us to nice dinners. He would often jokingly say: ‘your happiness is my happiness’.
With Dave now gone, our group of Tina friends has lost its center. All of us have memories of concerts, dinners and trips we shared together. We can’t believe he is gone, and he will be deeply missed. At the same time we are thankful for everything he gave us and we hope he will find his peace.
Ben and Sjef.
Tina Turner Blog 
RIP Dave!
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Very sad. R.I.P
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All my love…
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Didn’t know him, but from what you wrote, I do a little better now. What you wrote was truly beautiful and I don’t think anyone could have put it better. R.I.P. Dave and my thoughts to all who knew him!
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I just heard Lionel Richie singing the beatiful song Hello.
These are some phrases of it:
I’ve just got to let you know
’cause I wonder where you are
And I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely?
It is even hard to perceive, that Dave is gone. Something really unacceptable. I am thankful for Dave getting to know so many nice people all over the world. I just finish with the sentece we laughed so much, Dave was especially happy when I said it just from the middel of nowhere: Goedenmorgen Bea!
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That was beautifully written. I only met Dave two times, but he is missed in the Tina Turner community and feel for those of you who lost a dear friend.
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Hi Boef ( Sjef),
You have truly written this blog with lots of respect for Dave.
You have earned my respect,again, for this blog.
@Dave, where ever you are…take care ..rest in peace, and even though we haven’t seen each other that much: yes, I know for sure you were the center of the Tina Friends and yes, also my grateful thanks for that what you have given to all of us, small or big…
hugs and my warm love,
Jessica
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R.I.P Dave……
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My deepest sympathy on your loss of a good friend. We have many questions when something like this happens, but sadly there are no answers.
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HI guys,
i’m also one of the thousands Tina Fans who had the honor to meet Dave.
I met him often while Tina was on tour wildest dreams tour i met dave 13 times, twenty four seven tour i met dave 16times new york , zurich, the german concerts, belgium france, …
the last tour i met Dave in Atlanta and antwerp
I can confirm he was such a positive guy and so carring and gving to Tina fans. I wil lnever forget his big smile.
Dave, i know we’ll meet again, and then we’re gonna rol ‘n the river again.
Forever in my heart
Kurt
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RIP DAVE !
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Sjef & Ben, you have found the right words to describe him and his inspiring personality. I will remember Dave in exactly the same way as you have put it here.
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My heart goes out to Dave and his family. I never met him but now from what i’ve read above I feel a little more connected to him and his community. I am also a Tina fan, have been one ever since the Ike and Tina and the Ikette’s days. Dave may you rest in peace. I hope you find peace whereever your soul may travel. Mark S. Brown, United States
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Hello everyone –
I was sent a link to your nice written farewell to Dave Schuit.
When I got a mail the other day telling me that Dave had passed away, and had ended his own life tragically, I felt great sadness. It was never a secret to me that Dave had a very emotional side behind his more happy and outgoing exterior, which he did not let many people see. In the past when I knew Dave very well, I got to know several sides of him. However it is clear to me now that Dave needed more than just superficial attention. He was not one to ask for help, or letting anyone know to much about how he really felt.
In the 90´s I knew Dave very well. We went to many concerts together around Europe, and he came several times to my country to visit me and invited me to a lot of nice restaurants and places. We had a lot of good times then, and he was someone who used to telephone me all the time from Holland, even from other countries he would also visit, and send me a lot of great things. This was a very nice gesture, and something he would do to several people he knew.
Dave found great pleasure in his enormous admiration for Tina Turner, and he and I would often spend time with Tina´s group (band and dancers) when I was still a young teenager and he must have been in his 20´s.
Although I did not see Dave in recent years, it deeply saddens me to see how this turned out for him.
I wish I could remember what his favorite Tina song was, because then I would play it in his memory – but I think I will choose the song “One Of The Living” then. I think the title says it all ! As a member of the Tina fans, he will always be specially remembered – and he will remain – one of the living.
Sincerely,
LUCAS ~
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this is truly sad, i hardly knew him but i feel the pain. It is often the bubbliest of us that do commit suicide. I think it’s because we project a comfortable side to the world to avoid depressing everyone else with our sorrows but when we are by ourselves it eats away at us. May he rest in peace
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I met Dave several times during Tina’s tours and he was truly a genuine person with a BIG heart. Mayhe RIP and one day we shall see him again – Gary
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We will all miss him and he has touched so many people in his short life and his loss will be felt by all.
May you rest in peace, Dave ♥
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R.I.P. Dave!
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R.I.P Dave
i wish all his friends and family lot’s of strength with this tragically lost
All the best
(K)
chris
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This morning while checking this site I found out about Dave’s passing.
I haven’t had contact with other fans or Dave recently but if I did I would’ve gone to his funeral…
It was a big shock for me to read that Dave ended his own life and I found myself in a state of perplexity and shock all day, my thoughts going out to him.
About 10years ago I met Dave for the first time, about the same time he got to know Sjef (do you remember Sjef? We met a few times and even had dinner at your house; I believe it was lasagne your mother made haha).
We became close friends over the following years and we got together very often.
We made trips together, to London, Cologne, Amsterdam etc, we had dinners, went to concerts and so on. We spend many weekends together, had lots of fun and talked for hours and hours about simply anything.
I guess you can say we just had a great time when we got together to go somewehere or to just hang out.
But as in many friendships we kinda lost contact after a few years. Not with any particular reason but things like that just seem to happen…
After a year or two we met again for a few times and it was just like before; we had a great time together.
Sadly we lost contact again and the last time I talked to Dave was after Tina’s concert in Arnhem, may 2nd. We promised to phone each other soon after we talked but for some reason it never happened.
All day long I remembered the great times Dave and I had, how we used to laugh and also how I once saw him cry when we had a serious talk; I also remember how he used to sing ‘Talk to my heart’ to me…
And now all that remains is something truly beautiful: my memories of Dave Schuijt.
Dave thank you for all the good times we spent together and thank you for your friendship, I will never forget you.
Tot in de pruimentijd!
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By the way Sjef, wasn’t march 21st Dave’s birthday?
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@ Niels: what a strange way to get into contact again. Yes, of course I do remember the first time you and Dave visited me, and also the first time I (we) went to Zwolle, still in Dave’s old appartment, and we had to drive back with a huge cardboard Tina in the car.
Sorry you had to hear this news like this. Me, and none of us friends, realized this was going on. Dave’s birthday was March 12, and he celebrated it with his friends, which he doesn’t normally do. Of course if you want to hear some more you can always send me an e-mail or look me up on Facebook 😉 Hope you are doing well!
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Im so sad. I can not believe I have read this. I met Dave in Munich 2008, obviously at a Tina concert. She was there with Annemie. They both were so nice to me we talked for a very long time before the concert and after it. He seemed to be so happy, so radiant. Im so shocked
I send all the strengh to his family and friends. He will always be remember as the genorous big boy he was.
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I send all the strengh to his family and friends.
May you rest in peace Dave…
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I’m shocked by this. I met Dave in Zürich Oerlikon just before the Show on February 16, 2009. Dave gone – he was so enthusiastic, funny because we were all looking forward to the Show. He introduced Annemie and me to one of his Swiss friends – it was just nice. But sure, besides he loved Tina, we don’t know much about his personal life and I’m sure a part of him wanted to live. I wish him the peace he was looking for.
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DaVe my very dear TiNa TuRnEr friend has left planet earth …..
he’s gone to heaven ……..
I could not be there at march 29, I received the very sad news too late, unfortunately, but i will remember DaVe, he was my friend for almost 20 years, togeter with RalF……
big kiss from prinses MiR
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prinses MiR will miss you
together with RalF
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RIP Dave,
I was also a friend who he took to a Tina Turner concert in the Amsterdam Arena. Dave was very kind and generous we used to go to restaurant and laugh a lot. I’ve missed him. I’m sure he’s in a place where he found his peace.
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I am heart-broken till today… I still can’t bring myself to terms with it…
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Unlike most of you, I am not a Tina Turner fan and did not know Dave very well. I was backpacking in the Netherlands and had run out of money, when I wandered into his lovely ice cream shop in Zwolle.
I asked Dave for some bread and water, and he just asked me to take a seat with a smile. He made me a toasted cheese sandwich and some fresh orange juice.
I explained my situation and he let me use his computer to email my family (no smartphones in those days!). When I was leaving, he gave me an envelope and asked me not to open it in the shop.
I opened it outside and saw a 10 Euro note inside. The money helped me get back to Amsterdam and call my family, and soon I was on my feet again.
If it hadn’t been for Dave’s kindness, I don’t know what would have happened to me. I’m sorry I never got to repay his good deed properly and hope he has found peace.
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