David Ranier Them – Army Son, United States Army

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David R. Them, 56, news film editor

A highly respected video and news film editor, David Ranier Them, 56, worked at WPVI-TV 6 for more than 30 years.

Those who knew him affectionately called him by his last name, Them.

He was born in Tacoma, Washington, and was a resident of Upper Southampton for the past 11 years.

Mr. Them died February 16, 2005, from pulmonary failure, and his remains were cremated and will be interred with those of his father and mother, Colonel Eugene F. Them and Audrey (nee Williams), at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

As an Army officer’s son, he lived in many places throughout the United States and Europe. He graduated from Heidelburg High School in Germany and attended Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater.

Prior to residing in Upper Southampton, he lived in Philadelphia and completed his schooling at Temple University’s Radio and Television Film Department. He worked as a sound engineer for a feature film producer before joining WPVI-TV.

A wake was held for him this past Saturday at a Manayunk tavern and about 150 friends and workers attended. It lasted nearly six hours, and among those who attended to discuss his exploits and tell stories about Mr. Them were Marc Howard of Channel 3, Dave Roberts and Scott Palmer of Channel 6, and sportscaster Joe Pelligrino.

“He was extraordinarily funny,” friend Carol Coren of Upper Southampton said. “He was one of the wittiest people you would ever want to meet. Everybody in journalism knew him, because he was the shortest person in television. He was just 4 feet tall.”

A sister survives him.

“He was a worldly person and wanted to be a writer and photographer,” Coren said. “He was my student and lived with my husband, Frank Heying, and me. I was teaching at Temple at the time, and he was very smart. I’ve known him since the early 1970s.”

She said she and her husband, who was a professor at Temple University, were very close to Mr. Them.

“We miss David terribly,” she said. “He was the kind of guy who always said something very witty and insightful about world affairs, and he also was a gourmet cook.”

Mr. Them, according to Coren, was very generous with his money.

“He would support various causes, like WHYY campaign and was an anonymous donor to many charities,” she said. “David made many significant contributions to quite a few arts and human services organizations. When things touched his heart, he touched his checkbook.”

THEM, AUDREY E
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/21/1920
DATE OF DEATH: 10/24/2001
BURIED AT: SECTION 2-FF  ROW 27  SITE 4
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WIFE OF THEM, EUGENE F  COL US ARMY

THEM, DAVID
DATE OF BIRTH: 10/13/1948
DATE OF DEATH: 03/05/2005
BURIED AT: SECTION 2-FF  ROW 27  SITE 4
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
ADULT DEPENDENT SON OF THEM, EUGENE F  COL US ARMY

THEM, EUGENE F
COL   US ARMY
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/02/1918
DATE OF DEATH: 05/29/1989
BURIED AT: SECTION 2-FF  ROW 27  SITE 4
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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