David Mason Longstreet

David Mason Longstreet

November 11, 1952 – August 16, 2026

David Mason Longstreet, 73, known to many over the years as Dave, Pastor Dave, and Coach Dave, died at his home in Pittsburgh on August 16, 2026, under hospice care.

Dave was born on November 11, 1952, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to Clarence and Viola Longstreet. He grew up in Woodbridge, New Jersey, alongside his sister, Faith. From an early age, sports were a major part of his life, particularly baseball, soccer, and basketball.

Dave attended Grove City College in Pennsylvania, where he met Cheryl Popey. The two married in 1975 and shared 50 years of marriage, just shy of their 51st anniversary. After their marriage he attended Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, beginning a lifelong vocation centered on ministry, service, and community.

For 33 years, Dave served as a minister, first in the American Baptist Church and later in the United Church of Christ. His ministry took Dave and his family to communities across the country, including Bremerton, Washington; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Auburn, Maine; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Long Grove, Illinois; Harmony, Illinois; and two churches in Perry County, Pennsylvania . (New Bloomfield and Dunncannon)

His ministry extended far beyond Sunday mornings. Dave devoted countless hours to visiting people during times of illness, grief, loneliness, and need, and he helped bring communities together through ecumenical and community services.

Dave retired from ministry in 2012, but retirement certainly did not mean slowing down.

After returning to Pittsburgh, he embraced the city and its culture wholeheartedly. He could frequently be found at Pittsburgh Pirates games and also proudly followed the Steelers, Penguins, and Riverhounds. He loved theater and supported Pittsburgh's vibrant performing arts community. He had a particular appreciation for Pittsburgh's jazz history and culture and continued feeding his endless curiosity through classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dave loved history and reading and possessed an extraordinary breadth of knowledge. A conversation with him could wander through history, sports, religion, politics, music, theater, or seemingly anything else that happened to come up and especially later in life, Dave was more than happy to talk your ear off about it.

Those who knew him also knew that Dave had opinions - about nearly everything. He could be stubborn, passionate, and wonderfully particular, qualities that were often on full display in his well-meaning and frequently opinionated Facebook updates.

He also had a unique sense of humor and loved sharing silly movies with Ethan. Among Ethan's treasured memories is attending his high school state football championship game with his dad, the two of them enduring the freezing weather together simply because it was something worth experiencing.

Dave enjoyed good food and the community that came with it. He especially looked forward to church festivals and partaking of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. He loved traveling and greatly enjoyed all the trips he and Cheryl took together.

And throughout his life, there were also numerous furry feline companions fortunate enough to call Dave their human.

Dave's life changed in many ways over the years. Once naturally introverted, he became increasingly outgoing as he grew older. He loved meeting people, learning their stories, sharing what he knew, and finding another reason to keep the conversation going.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Cheryl Popey Longstreet, and his son, Ethan Longstreet.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Viola Longstreet, and his sister, Faith Longstreet.

A memorial service celebrating Dave's life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 304 Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213. A reception and time of fellowship will follow at the church.

Those wishing to make a contribution are encouraged to support a cultural institution or arts organization in David’s memory.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David Mason Longstreet, please visit our floral store.