David Schachnovsky (“Shag”) of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida passed away on August 18, 2024. He was born February 18, 1938 in Miami, to Meyer and Sylvia Schachnovsky.
David spent his childhood in Kiamesha Lake, New York and graduated from Monticello High School in 1955. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from what is now the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University, in the Class of 1959. Throughout his professional career, he continued to support the College as a speaker and as a source of career information and equipment grants. He served in the United States Army Reserve from May, 1960 to November, 1966. David spent his early working years in law enforcement as a Sullivan County NY Deputy Sheriff, a Monticello Police Officer and a Deputy United States Marshal. While working as an investigator for the New York State Liquor Authority, he was recruited by the National Security Agency and moved to Maryland in 1967.
David’s 30 year career at NSA was the perfect job and, when he retired as the Assistant Director for Facilities Security Services in 1997, he talked about his good fortune at finding a life’s work which answered his yearning to see the world while serving to protect his country. He proudly accepted the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, one of the highest honors presented by the Agency, before his retirement. He visited more than 65 countries on four continents and worked to cement broader understanding and cooperation. David chaired the Interagency Security Policy Board for 11 years. He was a pioneer in forging a productive and lasting Government-Industry partnership to formulate security policy to ensure that information, operations and personnel were not compromised. During his long career, he was proud of the accomplishments of the many younger agents he mentored. David was an active member of the Phoenix Society since his retirement. He was also a member of the National Cryptologic Foundation.
David is survived by Nancy, his wife for 60 years, his daughter Amy (Peter) Valerio of Shanghai, China, his son John (Carmen) Schachnovsky of Bangkok, Thailand and three grandchildren, Mikey, Meadow and Cole. Despite the physical distance, he was a constant supporter of their professional careers and their unique lives in Asia, even reading the Shanghai and Bangkok newspapers online daily. His international travel provided a valued resource for them and an attentive listener. David is also survived by several close cousins and many, many close friends.
The decades after his formal retirement from NSA were initially filled with consulting and teaching physical security seminars for the DCI, which he was asked to do after the 9/11 attacks. In 2005, he filled a bucket list wish by retiring again, near the ocean on a beach in Florida. He and Nancy travelled to visit the children and to see places he had seen but she had not and some places new to him. He shared free time with his beloved big dogs, Iki and Samson, who followed King, Luke and Bir playing a major role in the family’s life. He had season tickets to support the Jacksonville Jaguars and was a member of the St Johns County Sheriff’s advisory council, while exploring a part of Florida new to him, often with visiting friends.
A funeral service will be held on August 26, 2024 with interment at the Ponte Vedra Valley Cemetery in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
