David Ernest Horn, 78, of Warren, Ohio, formerly of Monessen, transitioned out of this world due to complications from pancreatic cancer on March 5, 2023. Dave was born the youngest of three children on Dec 6, 1944, to Fred Horn and Dorothy Rose in Monessen, where he grew up as a spirited youth — or some might say even a prankster — which continued his entire life. Upon graduation from Monessen High School in 1962, Dave earned a full scholarship to Drexel Institute of Technology, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering. As a co-op student, Dave took a job at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in Pittsburgh. At that time, he placed a fortuitous call to the dormitory at a local nursing school, looking for young ladies to meet. That call would change the course of his life, as well as the life of the person on the other end of the line. This was how Dave and JoAnn met and started their partnership that would last for 55 years of marriage, two children and three grandchildren. It was a big year in 1968 as Dave married JoAnn Mary Smith of Pittsburgh, moved to Warren, Ohio, and welcomed their first child, David Joseph. A daughter, Alicia Lynn, followed in 1971. While working full-time and helping to parent two children, Dave attended Kent State University at night and earned his M.B.A. in 1971. In Warren, Dave worked for Thomas Steel Incorporated and continued his career in quality assurance as an entrepreneur at South Pitt Tool & Die in Pittsburgh, later consulting for Armco Sawhill Tubular Division and other steel companies in the Mahoning Valley. While Dave was of the baby boom generation, in many ways he was a millennial kind of dad. He had a zest for life and wanted to have many experiences with his family. He took them white water rafting, made 8mm movies, played cards, taught them how to play billiards and ping pong, cycled across Ohio with JoAnn, went fishing and hunting and generally demonstrated a great joie de vivre. Imbued with a sense of adventure, Dave was a great traveler, taking trips to Europe, South America and the Middle East with JoAnn, their children and grandchildren. However, the trips he liked best were driving long distances in his convertible across the U.S. and Canada with JoAnn. He even called one particular beautiful day while racing down the “Tail of the Dragon” in Deals Gap, N.C., “one of the best rides of my life.” Dave Horn: Steelers fan; avid pinochle, ping pong and billiards player; Porsche aficionado; Jim Cramer and Judge Judy devotee; friend to birds and deer, enemy of squirrels and chipmunks; loving father; and loyal husband to his trophy wife, JoAnn. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, JoAnn; his children, David (Amy) Horn of Arlington, Texas, and Alicia (Fabio) Rosas of Skippack, Pa.; his grandchildren, Petra, Luca and Marta; sister, Carol Dauer of Hendersonville, Tenn.; and a multitude of other friends and family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Dorothy; and his brother, Kenneth Horn.
