David Lee Moncrief, 81, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away on September 19, 2025 at home.

His Celebration of Life service will be held at First Methodist Church at 1115 South Boulder on September 29, 2025 at 10:00 AM with Reverend Wade Paschal officiating.

David was born in Tulsa to Jefferson and Eva Lee (Johnson) Moncrief on February 1, 1944. He went to high school at Edison and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor of Art in Journalism at the University of Tulsa. During that time, he also served in the reserves in the Army National Guard.

He worked at KJRH and for more than 30 years at The University of Tulsa, teaching newsroom television production. He loved woodworking, running, traveling to the Pacific northwest and the Rocky Mountains, reading The New Yorker, and being with his family.

He was a lifelong learner, letting his curiosity take the lead as he learned about everything from theology to physics, and space travel to antique clocks. Some of his happiest memories were interacting with people from different cultures, both locally and on travels abroad. He loved deep conversations with his friends and family and brought peace and gentleness to all of his relationships. He was steadfast in his generosity to his family.

A man of deep faith, he was confident in his salvation through Jesus Christ. He longed to see the face of God and, in the words of one of his favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, to be in "[his] real country...the land [he has] been looking for all [his] life." And at last, to go "further up, further in."

David is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jennith (Buzzard) Moncrief, daughter Julie Rains (and husband, Doug), daughter Katherine Pickop (and husband, Ryan), grandchildren, Oliver and Rainer Pickop and Will, Marlowe, and Abby Rains, and brother Michael Moncrief, all of Tulsa and by his sister-in-law Christine Buzzard (Tulsa), nieces Jessica Buzzard (Los Angeles), Maggie Regan (Tulsa), and Christy Buzzard (Mexico City), and their families. He is proceeded in death by his parents, Jefferson Moncrief and Eva Lee Moncrief, and brother, Stephen Moncrief and brother-in-law, Gene Buzzard.

Memorial donations may be made to Iron Gate (501 W Archer Street, Tulsa, OK 74103) or Stand in the Gap Ministries (PO Box 470100, Tulsa, OK 74147).