Norman, Oklahoma - David Allan Huettner, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, June 24, 2025.

Born on September 8, 1942, in Gary, Indiana, nine months to the day after Pearl Harbor (as he would often note), to Analie and Donald Huettner, who, as David later wrote, "gave their children so much to appreciate." David later moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent his formative years.

From an early age, David excelled in athletics, particularly baseball and golf, with golf becoming a lifelong passion. Starting at age eight, David caddied at Canterbury Golf Club and delivered newspapers locally and even delivered rubber stamps after school in downtown Cleveland, demonstrating the strong work ethic that would characterize his life.

David pursued his education at John Carroll University, where he studied Physics, then Case Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Management Science, followed by two years of law school at Marshall College of Law while working for the Bell System, then a Masters and Ph.D. in Economics at Case Western Reserve, all in Cleveland.

While in grad school at Case, David was set up on a blind date by his sister, Linda Huettner DeOreo, with Sue Bonner, a vivacious undergrad who was Linda's sorority sister. Dave said he knew immediately that Sue was the one for him, and they were married on July 19, 1969, after Sue graduated from Case and returned from traveling with her friend, Linda Cline, for six months throughout Europe on "very little" per day. The softest of soft spots in Dave's world was always reserved for Sue, and they were more inseparable as time went by.

David taught at Wayne State University in Detroit while working on a post-doc and related book on manufacturing facility economics, with research sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute. While in Detroit, Heidi and Todd, Dave and Sue's children, were born.

In 1974, David and family moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where Dave joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma and taught for the remainder of his career, except for one year, 1984-1985, working full-time in economic consulting for NERA in Washington, D.C. As a respected economist, David's expertise spanned Public Utilities, Econometrics, Energy Economics, and Industrial Organization. He provided consulting services to federal and state agencies, including the Office of Naval Research, Michigan Public Service Commission, and the United States Congress. His notable contributions included directing the Michigan Energy Model, assessing solar energy alternatives for the U.S. Department of Energy, and developing electricity rates through Oklahoma's time-of-day rate experiment. He also served on the Connecticut Power Facilities Evaluation Council and testified as an expert witness in federal and state courts on antitrust, tax, product liability, patent, and utility matters. A prolific scholar, Dr. Huettner authored numerous professional papers, invited lectures, book chapters, and journal articles, with his research featured in The Energy Journal, where he served on the Board of Editors.

Dave, as he was now known, loved working on anti-trust cases, where he noted that his market definitions had been accepted by the court 100% of the time. He developed expertise in oil and gas economics and cartel pricing behavior and even published an article on Microsoft in a prestigious anti-trust journal, despite proudly not owning a computer at the time (or any time, smartphones excepted).

Dave enjoyed bringing his consolidated wisdom and experience, plus a deep reserve of creativity and humor, to every project, and he relished working with smart, fun people. He retired from OU in 1999 as Chairman of Economics and Professor Emeritus.

During his academic career, Dave's expertise took him around the world. He always volunteered to teach foreign courses for OU in places as far-flung as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, France, Japan, South Korea, and elsewhere. Dave's international experience enriched both his teaching and his worldview, and he and Sue had many international adventures.

Beyond academia, Dave was an astute businessman and active real estate investor, believing that anyone who teaches should also DO. He served as managing director of Park on Main in Norman, and he and Sue owned or developed several office, light industrial, and retail properties throughout the Norman area. Their entrepreneurial spirit also led them to develop Taos Mountain Vista in Taos, New Mexico.

David and Sue were passionate travelers who explored the world extensively. For many years, they maintained homes in Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, reflecting their love of diverse landscapes and communities.

Dave maintained a lifelong love of golf, which he played as much as possible for as long as possible, strategically locating himself in places hospitable to year-round play. He mentioned that, as a child caddying during the week for men who were not working during the day, he learned to listen closely to the business and life advice they offered. He also noticed that he was shoveling snow in the winter in Ohio while people were playing golf in places with palm trees, so he made sure he was near palm trees.

Dave also maintained a lifelong passion for politics, which he claimed was inseparable from economics-the main reason he far preferred teaching micro vs. macroeconomics, since macroeconomics could always be skewed by political considerations, in his view. He served as Treasurer of the Cleveland County GOP in the 1980s, and was a lifelong supporter of and donor to liberty-minded conservatives and causes focused on minimizing government and maximizing individual freedom.

When it came to people, more important than book-learning, Dave would often say, is the "feeling" you get when you assess people and situations, and despite his intellectual capacity, he truly focused on people and their feelings in business and in life. The feelings he had for his family were the most profound, as evidenced by the amount of time he spent with his children and grandchildren.

Dave loved to watch his three older grandsons excel at sports year-round, from baseball to wrestling, football, volleyball, and more, resulting in dozens of championship victories, awards, travel, and trophies. His son Todd coached a large number of the teams involved, so Dave had the joy of watching his son coach his own boys.

Dave's younger grandchildren are heartbroken to lose out on more time with "Big Dave," with which they have been spoiled. They loved talking to him throughout the day, every day, during the many months Dave and Sue spent with them every year. Dave could, on a moment's notice, deliver a 60-90-minute lecture for several homeschoolers ranging from economics, business, politics, engineering, cosmology, particle physics, and back again, with zero interruptions. They were smitten, and they miss him.

David is survived by Sue, his treasured wife of 55 years; his daughter, Heidi and husband Matt; son, Todd and wife Jill; and his eight cherished grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Linda Huettner DeOreo of Shaker Heights, Ohio; brother, Timothy Louis Huettner (Deborah) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; sister, Christine Huettner Williams of McKinney, Texas; brother, John August Huettner of Shaker Heights; sisters-in-law, Diane Bonner, Nan Keune (John) and Rae Gutschow; and dozens of nieces, nephews and their spouses and children, including nephew, Ken Keever, wife Cindy, and their son, of Norman.

In addition to his parents, Dave was preceded in death by his brother, Don Huettner; brothers-in-law, Joe Keever, Nelson Bonner, Peter DeOreo, and David Williams; and sisters-in-law, Kay Keever and Mary Huettner.

Dave would be delighted to know that he is actively remembered with thoughts, laughs, and toasts, if and when those who knew him are moved to recall how he touched their lives for the better, offered humor even in the darkest of times, cared deeply about the people around him, and loved his family totally. With his strong faith, we know that this amazing man is in good hands and keeping watch over us, but that cannot keep us from missing him every day.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at St. John's Episcopal Church, 235 W. Duffy St, Norman, OK.

Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.