David Gough

We remember with love and respect David Arthur Gough, born August 16, 1946, in Salt Lake City, UT, who passed away on December 8, 2024, in Solana Beach, California. David, affectionately known as Dave, was a loving and dedicated husband, father, and brother, an inspirational professor, and persistent researcher. His humor brightened our lives, and his dedication to his family and profession was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Dave grew up in the Millcreek neighborhood, in Salt Lake. Millcreek was an idyllic post WW2 neighborhood, where Dave grew up surrounded by kids, neighbors, orchards, horses, and farms. There were lots of open spaces for adventures and misadventures with his brothers, family and neighbors. He was unique and industrious from the beginning, delivering newspapers, attending Granite High School (graduating in 1964) and studying the violin. He was called in 1965 to serve a Southern Brazilian mission, where he learned Portuguese and served in the cities of Sao Paulo, and Rio De Janeiro, and many others. For part of his mission he was the District Leader. Upon return from his mission, he reconnected with Carol, who grew up in the same Millcreek neighborhood, and they decided to marry. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on March 17, 1970.

David attended the University of Utah, earning a BA in Biology in 1970, a BS in Chemistry in 1971, and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering 1974. David was a postdoctoral fellow at the Joslin Clinic of the Harvard Medical School from 1974-1976. In 1976, he began his career as a professor at University of California, San Diego, where he remained until retiring in 2021.

David spent his life in the pursuit of knowledge, dedicating his career to higher education as a professor, researcher and inventor in the field of implantable biochemical sensors. He was a bright light in his field, earning significant recognition over the years from public and private teaching and research institutions, including Founding Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, the M. J. Kugel Award presented by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and the Gordon Engineering Leadership Award. David served as the Bioengineering Department Chair at UCSD, from 1999 to 2002, in addition to numerous committee positions over his tenure. One of David’s most successful lifetime achievements is the miniaturized implantable Glucose Biosensor, which holds the world record for the longest stable sensor implant in humans in health care management for diabetics.

Among the most meaningful to Dave were his awards related to building the next generations of engineers. In 1996, he was named Teacher of the Year by his engineering students at UCSD, a testament to his passion and commitment. Across his career, he received many significant grants that supported life saving research and funded buildings across the University of California San Diego campus, and built careers for many notable bioengineering innovators. These research grants produced multiple patents for technologies that improve and save lives across the world today. His innovative contributions to bioengineering included the co-founding of the biotechnology company Glysens in 1998, whose mission was to make these life saving technologies available to diabetics across the globe. A link is provided below to view a video that was made to recognize his accomplishments in implantable glucose sensors during a graduate student reunion to celebrate Dave’s retirement in 2021.

David’s notoriety in the field of bioengineering enabled him to travel the world to share his knowledge. As a professor he took his family on two sabbatical leaves, one for the 1986-87 academic year to teach at MIT and Harvard in Boston, and one in 1999 to Lund University in Sweden. He consulted for research, economic and educational institutions in India, China, Singapore, Thailand, and across Europe. Carol accompanied him on many of these international trips.

David's dedication extended to his hobbies as well, most notably his lifelong involvement in scouting, a passion he shared with his wife, Carol. His love for scouting started in his youth, where he achieved the level of Eagle Scout. Dave, with his son James who was also an Eagle Scout, earned the Order of the Arrow in 2000. As a world renowned scientist, David was nominated and served as a member of the San Diego Eagle Scout Board of Review for over 20 years.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he continued to focus on Scouting. He served as Assistant Scout-Master, Teachers Quorum advisor, and advisor to the Del Mar stake’s scouting program.

Despite his many accomplishments, what mattered most to David was his family. He poured all his time, thoughts, and energy into their happiness, and took immense pride in their successes. His love, charisma and humor shined through all he undertook, whether that was giving a lecture, coaching researchers on one of his many research projects, or joking with his brothers and their wives, learning about his own children’s lives, or reading endless stories to grand kids. The light he shared with all of us was both far reaching, and deeply personal.

David is survived by his wife, Carol Gillett Gough, their children Monica Ann, Daniel Brian (Meliza), and James Leland (Margo); two brothers and their wives, Steven (Joy) and Gary (Kim); and 8 grandchildren: Genevieve Gough Croy, Cooper Croy, Desi Gough, Romy Gough, Arlo Gough, Harrison Gough, Archer Gough and Aurelia Gough. He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Leland and Amber Fern Reynolds Gough, and by his daughter, Andrea Mae Gough who passed away in December of 1999. David's loss is deeply felt, and he will be forever missed by his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched.

A viewing will take place at 10am followed by Funeral services held at 11am on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Jenkins Soffe Funeral Home at 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, Utah 84095. Interment will be at the Elysian Burial Gardens, 1075 East 4580 South, Millcreek, Utah.

Floral arrangements are welcome and are being provided by Sarah Winward. If you would like to contribute, please contact Sarah at flowers@sarahwinward.com or 801-231-3088.

A memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Del Mar, 12701 Torrey Bluff Drive, San Diego, CA 92130.

We encourage all who knew David to share their memories of him and to upload photos to his memorial page. These stories and images will serve as a lasting tribute to the remarkable person that he was, and the indelible impact he had on all our lives.