David R. Naleski of Southold passed away at home on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. He was 74 years old. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 11th from 4-7 P.M. at the DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 12th at 12:00 P.M. at Saint Patrick's R.C. Church in Southold, officiated by Father Abraham Thannickal. Interment with U.S. Navy Honors will follow at Calverton National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to I Am ALS or The ALS Association would be appreciated. Envelopes and donation forms will be available at the funeral home. Obituary David Naleski, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and former chief mechanic for the diesel ferries and shop steward of Local 30 of the International Union of Operating Engineers at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York, died August 5 at his home in Southold. He was 74. His brother-in-law, Grover Gatewood of Bridgehampton, NY, said that Naleski was diagnosed in March 2025 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. “Dave fought this terrible illness with stoic resilience,” Gatewood said. “His lifelong buoyant attitude never wavered, not for a moment.” Born in 1952 in Worcester, MA to Victor G. Naleski and Margaret McGurn Naleski and raised in Auburn, MA, Naleski joined the Navy after graduating from Worcester Boys Trade High School in 1971. He served for four years aboard the U.S.S. Duluth, an amphibious transport dock, during the Vietnam War. For his service, he received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. His career as a diesel mechanic at Plum Island began in 1994. Adam Douglas, a co-worker at the Animal Disease Center, recalled: “He was a roll-up-his-sleeves- and get-the-job-done guy. A through-and- through union man. Dave loved being part of the union family. His heart and soul was in it, and he’s gonna be greatly missed.” Married for 33 years, Naleski met his wife, Rosabelle Gatewood Naleski, while she was working as a social worker in Worcester. In addition to his wife, he is survived by their two daughters, Marianne Naleski O’Connor of Patchogue, NY and Margaret Naleski Tripp of Tucson, AZ and a 3-year-old grandson, Ezra David Tripp, also of Tucson. He is also survived by his brother, Victor Naleski, and his wife, Janet Frost Naleski, of West Hartford, CT., and their sons, Julian Naleski of Akron, OH, and James Naleski of West Hartford. His surviving sisters are Joanne Gering of Rehoboth, MA, and Ann Henry of Foster, RI. Joanne Gering’s children are Catherine, Julia and David Gering; Ann Henry’s sons are Theo and Christopher Henry. Another brother, Stephan Naleski, died in 2016. “Dave was the kind of old-fashioned, big-hearted, enormously capable man that is so sorely needed today,” Gatewood said. “We shall all miss him terribly — even those of us who never had the pleasure of knowing him.” Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. A Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, August 12, at noon at St. Patrick’s Church in Southold, followed by burial at 2 p.m. at Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, NY.