Dave Kornreich, beloved astronomer, roller derby referee, professor, and adventurer passed away on Sunday, August 30, in an unfortunate and tragic plane accident. He is survived by his wife, Alexi Clinton, his mother Peggy and father George, his brother Brian Kornreich and his wife Amy Goldberg; sister Andrea Merlin (Kornreich) and her husband Kevin Merlin, as well as cousins, nieces, and nephews, all of whom he loved dearly.

Dave’s enormous heart, generosity, wit, and kindness touched many lives, and the world is a better place for having him in it, despite his time on this planet being cut far too short. His many loved ones are devastated by the loss, but are also eternally grateful for his presence in their lives.

Dave was born in Houston, Texas, on September 14, 1973. His mother recounts Dave’s curiosity about the cosmos from an early age, and his father, also a pilot, fondly remembers Dave’s quick take to learning to fly.

His fascination for the cosmos led Dave to earn his PhD at Cornell University in 2001 after earning a bachelor’s from the California Institute of Technology with honors in astronomy.. As a graduate student, he co-founded Cornell's Ask an Astronomer program, and won the Eleanor Norton York Prize in Astronomy for outstanding achievement and citizenship. He spent the early part of his career teaching physics and astronomy at Humboldt State University in California (now California Polytechnic University, Humboldt) before returning to Ithaca in 2011. He had a passion and talent for teaching at all levels, and taught at the Cascadilla School, Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland, and Cornell University.

In addition to his teaching in the classroom, Dave was a beloved roller derby referee, officiating bouts and tournaments across the United States and internationally. His skill and heart as a derby referee was appreciated by all who had the privilege of skating with him.

He married his soulmate and love of his life, Alexi Clinton on October 15, 2011 in a ceremony at John Joseph Inn in Groton, surrounded by family and friends. The pair shared a deep bond, and enjoyed traveling around the world together. Just before Dave’s unfortunate passing, the couple shared a beautiful trip together on a cruise to watch the solar eclipse in the arctic.

Dave eventually left the world of academia to pursue his passion for flying. As the Chief Pilot at the East Hill Flying Club, he solidified the club's reputation for producing excellent pilots, going above and beyond in writing his own curriculum for students. He will be missed by his colleagues and students at the Flying Club. He died doing what he loved, and we are sure that, if he could include a message to those reading this obituary, it would be: “Be excellent to each other.”

Donations in Dave’s memory may be made to Elevated Access (elevatedaccess.org).

A memorial service in his honor will take place on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Perkins Funeral Home in Dryden.