Dr. Michael David Avington, known to all who loved him as David, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2026, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was 85 years old. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, David lived a life defined by warmth, laughter, and an open door.
Born on December 5, 1940, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Carl and Eileen Avington, David was shaped early by the values of faith, hard work, and community. He attended Parkersburg Catholic High School, where the seeds of a lifelong love for Catholic education were planted. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Wheeling Jesuit University before pursuing medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Kentucky, where fate intervened in the most important way: he met the love of his life, Dee. He would often joke, that he had rescued her from the hills of Kentucky and brought her to the mountains of West Virginia.
David built a distinguished 38-year career as a cardiologist in Parkersburg, West Virginia, earning the trust and admiration of his patients, colleagues, and community alike. He served on numerous boards throughout his career, lending his expertise and steady judgment wherever it was needed. Yet for all his professional accomplishment, David wore his success lightly. He possessed the rare gift of making everyone around him — whether a patient, a colleague, or a stranger— feel completely at ease.
His love for Parkersburg Catholic schools ran deep, and he gave back generously, serving for several years as assistant tennis coach at PCHS. He believed wholeheartedly in Christian education and in the kind of community a faith-centered school could build.
Outside of medicine, David was a man of genuine enthusiasms. He was a proud and faithful West Virginia University fan. He played tennis and golf with the same competitive spirit and easy humor he brought to everything. He loved fishing, a round of golf, competitive tennis, baking for friends and sharing a laugh. He loved a good laugh.
Perhaps no place captured David’s spirit more fully than the “Farm”. It was his sanctuary and his gathering place all at once — somewhere to work with his hands or cast a line. But the farm was never just for him. He loved inviting friends, family, and colleagues out to celebrate any occasion worth celebrating — and David could always find one. Weddings, Graduations, Office parties, simple Saturdays — any reason would do. The farm was where some of the best memories were made, and those lucky enough to have spent time there carry it with them.
David’s greatest accomplishment was not his medical career or his community service. It was the life he built with Dee, the father he was to his daughters, the grandfather he was to his grandchildren, and the friend and mentor he was to so many along the way.
David is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Dee Avington; his daughters Carla Avington Lehman and her husband Paul, and Bethany Avington Atkinson and her husband Tom; and his cherished grandchildren Dexter, Grace, and Lydia Lehman, and Luke and Landon Atkinson. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Eileen Avington.
Heaven gained a great doctor, a better man, and a soul that made every room a little warmer.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions to Parkersburg Catholic Schools in David’s memory. https://square.link/u/WVv3hySD
Funeral Mass will be held 10 am Saturday, May 9th at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church with burial to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. A luncheon will be provided in the Parish Hall following the graveside service.
Visitation will be held 6 -8 pm Friday, May 8th at the Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.LeavittFuneralHome.com
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