David Joel Pober
January 27, 2026

DAVID JOEL POBER: (Please call the funeral home for the Zoom Link). Age 74, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. Survived by partner Deborah Weisberg, sister Elaine (Mark) Pattak, nieces, nephews, grandniece and grandnephew, and numerous dear friends. Preceded in death by parents Leona and Harry Pober. Dave grew up in Eastmont and moved to Squirrel Hill in ninth grade. He graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School, and the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a degree in business. Fresh out of college, he wrote a column for Steel City Sports called Steel City Scraps. 

Dave built a career in insurance and investments, earning great respect from many clients in the sports world. Business relationships morphed into lifelong friendships, including those with former NBA and NFL players, some of the country's most esteemed basketball coaches, and members of the media. 

Dave was a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan and longtime season ticket holder, with the best seats in the park. He successfully brought to Pittsburgh for the first time the Summer Pro Classic NBA exhibition basketball games, featuring Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Maurice Lucas, from 1977 to 1984. He was inducted into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2013, and served on the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame board for many years.

Dave was very involved with Sonny Vaccaro, Pat DiCesare and the promotion of the Roundball Classic during its 43-year run, and for 20 years co-chaired, with Ken Horoho, the Pittsburgh YMCA Scholar-Athlete Banquet, which was the largest event of its kind in the country at that time, providing hundreds of scholarships to Pittsburgh athletes. Dave approached everyone he met with warmth, genuine interest, and a spirit of acceptance-qualities that earned him a vast network of acquaintances, and a circle of close friends to whom he was deeply loyal. A man of unwavering integrity and strong character, he consistently did what was right, guided by timeless values and a quiet inner strength. Although a man of few words, when he spoke it was often to share a good story --- of which there were many --- rich with humor and the wisdom of a life well-lived.

People were drawn to his authenticity and kindness. While he will be greatly missed, his memory will endure as a blessing to all who knew him. 

Services at Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc., 5509 Centre Avenue, Shadyside on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 1 PM. Visitation one hour prior to service (12 Noon - 1 PM). Interment Private. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in memory of David J. Pober, 5738 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. www.schugar.com

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