David Chivers

David G. Chivers, age 70, of Fairview, passed away tragically trying to save his beloved dogs, Kelsey and Sophie, who had fallen through an icy pond on his Silverthorn Farm on Sunday, February 21, 2021. 

Dave was born in Erie on April 25, 1950, a son of the late Boyd D. and Margaret Antolik Chivers.

He was a 1968 graduate of Fairview High School and started his own excavating business, Chivers Construction, that same year. He grew the business from one bulldozer to over 50 employees and hundreds of pieces of equipment. He was very proud of the business he built and loved his employees like family.  Dave touched many lives over the years. He cared deeply about his family and loved to spend time teaching and laughing with his children and grandchildren. He was an incredibly generous man with a big personality, a problem-solver who was always finding new projects. Passionate about everything he did in life, from work to hobbies to spending time with family and friends, Dave was “all in.” He worked hard but played just as hard. Dave always did his best and held people to a high standard, but he could also make work fun. Always ready with a joke and a laugh, he was one of the funniest guys to hang out with because he loved life so much. He loved his farms, his dogs, the outdoors, farming, and “recreational bulldozing.” He loved to have lunch at Chicos with his sons and co-workers. Dave definitely had nine lives and he used all of them by the age of 70. He was larger than life and he loved it that way.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Colin Chivers.

He is survived by his children: Emily Yochim and her husband Chris; John Chivers and his wife Melissa; and Timothy Chivers, all of Fairview; two sisters: Darlene Chivers of Huntingdon PA; Nancy Kohler- Cunningham and her husband Wayne of Millcreek; a brother Boyd Chivers and his wife Lynn of Candia, New Hampshire; his former wife Mary Burke Chivers of Fairview; 9 grandchildren: Seth; Elliot, Oliver, Annalee, Isaac, Ella, Laila, Burke, and Colin; and several nieces and nephews.  

Friends may call at the Burton Funeral Home, 525 Main St. Girard on Friday from 2 to 6pm and on Saturday from 11am until 3pm, with all CDC guidelines followed, masks and social distancing.

Private burial in Fairview Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Fairview School Foundation, 7466 McCray Rd. Fairview, PA 16415, or Emmaus Ministries Soup Kitchen, 218 E 11th St, Erie, PA 16503.

Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com.