David S. Weaver

Obituary for David Smallwood Weaver

A Purpose Driven Life

After 62 years of living an extraordinary life, anchored by faith, family, service, and a passion for living, David Smallwood Weaver received his heavenly wings on October 28, 2025.  David’s peaceful transition was in his sleep, with his devoted wife, Francis nearby.

David Smallwood Weaver, beloved son of David Wilton Weaver and Mabel Smallwood Weaver was born in New York City, and at the tender age of 2 months, moved to Pollocksville, North Carolina where he grew up. Throughout his upbringing, David, affectionately known to family and friends as ‘Spike’, experienced an abundance of love and nurturing from his parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family members that shaped the development of his character as well as his values and beliefs. 

Baptized at an early age at Clinton Chapel Memorial AME Zion church in Pollocksville, North Carolina, David remained a devout and ‘true believer’ throughout his life. He later converted to Catholicism, which became the spiritual foundation for the family he would eventually create.

As a youth, David attended Jones County schools in Pollocksville and in Trenton, North Carolina.  During his formative years, David began to exhibit certain personality traits (drive, self-reliance, and goal orientation) and cultivate varied interests that would continue to endure throughout his life. David was driven with a strong work ethic, a commitment to serving the needs of others, a love for family, friends, food, and fun, and the uncanny ability to create memorable moments with family and friends.

While attending high school, David demonstrated an extraordinary ability to successfully juggle school, work and extra-curricular activities.  He served as a School Bus Driver and also began honing his culinary skills while working part-time as a cook at a restaurant in New Bern, North Carolina.   Simultaneously, David played basketball on the Jones Senior High School varsity team and still managed to maintain his grades. David was amicable, outgoing, warm, and friendly. He particularly loved hanging out with his best friend and cousin Everett (Butch) Williams.  The two of them could always be found laughing and joking around, playing checkers and chess, or simply goofing off with mutual friends.

David graduated from Jones Senior High School in Trenton, North Carolina in the Spring of 1981, and began his matriculation in the fall at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

During his college years, David worked part-time at a dentist’s office, and while there, he seemed to have found his purpose and his calling.  He decided to pursue a career in the field of medicine, because it would provide him the opportunity to enhance the quality of life and longevity of others.

While attending Saint Augustine’s University, David pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in the Fall of 1983, following in the footsteps and legacy of his father, David Wilton Weaver, who had pledged at Saint Aug, so many years before. Through his fraternity, he learned the value of committing his life to the principles of ‘Manly Deeds (strength & courage), ‘Scholarship’ (pursuit of knowledge and academic achievement), and a ‘Love for All Mankind’ (showing brotherly love and serving the needs of others). David’s life would ultimately become a living testament to these principles, and his friendship with his line brothers would last a lifetime.

David also enrolled in ROTC while in college, in order to prepare himself to pursue service to his country.  

Upon graduation with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Medicine, and a minor in Biology and Chemistry in 1986, David served in the US Army Medical Department as a US Army Medic at Fort Jackson, South Carolina from 1987 - 1991, where he provided Emergency Medical Response to military personnel.

After his honorable discharge from the Army, David decided to further his education, by obtaining his Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Midland Technical College, and later enrolling in yet another Bachelor of Science program in Nursing at Thomas Edison State University. David obtained his post-graduate degree as a NIFA Registered Nurse First Assistant in 2013.

David’s career in the field of nursing spanned nearly 40 years at numerous hospital systems. He started at Providence Hospital in Providence, South Carolina. Then he relocated to New Jersey, and worked in several New Jersey hospital systems, including  University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), St. Peters University Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Jersey City, Hackensack Meridian JFK, Carewell Health East Orange, RWJ Barnabas Health New Brunswick, RWJ Barnabas Health Cooperman in Livingston.  David also served as an RNFA in neurosurgery at Hudson Regional Hospital.   David’s roles included working in Intensive Care Units, Oncology, Outpatient Surgery, Post Open Heart Recovery, General Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, and more. Most recently, David relished serving in the role of Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) in Robotics at  RWJ Barabas Health Cooperman in Livingston.  David truly honed his expertise in the field of Robotic Surgery.  David touched the hearts and lives of many of his colleagues, with his kindness, warmth and gentle nature.

David not only worked hard, he played hard.  One of his recreational passions that he  carried forward from his teen years was his love for basketball.  David was a member of a 3 on 3 ‘Hoop It Up’ New York City team that competed throughout the Northeast.  His team was phenomenal; they won many championships, and bragging rights!

David met Celma Francis Capuz, a fellow nurse and co-worker while working at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey). He was smitten with her from their very first encounter in a nursing professional development class, where she challenged the instructor’s material. They began dating, fell in love, and were married on August 28, 1997.  Theirs was a marriage of unyielding strength, and a true partnership in family, business, and life. Born out of this union were four children – three sons and a daughter.  David and Francis were devoted parents who tried to instill in their children many of the traits that made them successful in life including perseverance, never giving up, and the importance of thinking things through to determine the best way forward. As a tight-knit family unit, they frequently played board games, cooked meals together, engaged in the family business of renovating homes, and vacationed abroad, often inviting his siblings along to join them.  Their family unit also included several dogs, namely Marlene and three different dogs named Mahal, as well as a couple of cats (Brussel and Artimis) and a few fish.

One of the greatest passions that David and Francis shared was their interest in real estate.  On their wedding day, Francis declared that she wanted to own 10 houses someday. So, David and Francis immediately became business partners and began acquiring properties throughout the marriage.  They truly enjoyed searching for just the right properties, gutting them, and renovating them. Whenever David wasn’t working his day or night shifts in nursing, or taking care of the kids, he and Francis were actively engaged in the business of rehabbing houses and creating dwellings to enhance the lives of others.

David lived his life fully, with gusto, and we believe he fulfilled what God intended for him to do upon this earth.  He enjoyed a career where he truly helped save lives, he enjoyed a wife and business partner who made a difference in providing much needed housing for others, he laid the foundational principles for his children to be successful, and he created countless memorable moments with siblings, family members and friends. 

Rest in peace and in power, David Smallwood Weaver, for you have greatly enhanced the lives of those you’ve touched.  You will truly be missed. While we wish you’d stayed with us a lot longer, you remain in our hearts, and we look forward to seeing you again someday.

David was preceded in death by his father, David Wilton Weaver, his beloved mother, Mabel Ann Smallwood Weaver, and his brothers Terry, and Robert.

He leaves to cherish his memories as keepers of his legacy, his beloved wife, Celma Francis Capuz Weaver, his sons Davetivo Weaver,  Dajasol Weaver, Deofilo Weaver, and the apple of his eye, his daughter Celdave Weaver, his brothers William and Albert, and his sisters, Jacqueline, Denise, Inez, Kim, and Felecia, eleven nephews, four nieces, and a multitude of great nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

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