NASBLA mourns the passing of former Nevada BLA, David Pfiffner
Former Nevada Boating Law Administrator, Game Warden Captain (ret) David G. Pfiffner passed away Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, of an apparent heart attack. He was 64 years old.
Dave lived a full and remarkable life. In 1988,
Dave came to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) from Maricopa County, Arizona, where he served as an officer on Lake Pleasant. He began his career as the first boating game warden lieutenant in the Southern Region and built the agency’s Boating Safety Program into one recognized nationally for its accomplishments.
In 2008, Dave was named the NASBLA National Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for his more than 20 years of work in the Las Vegas area with the Nevada Department of Wildlife. He was cited for his contributions to boating safety on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave as the game warden supervisor and for his role in arresting impaired boaters.
At the time, Dave said, “The most important thing to remember is that this is a team award. I am honored, but it has to be shared with the other wardens who work every day in Nevada.” He was widely respected for the job he did so well.
During his career, Dave served as lieutenant of the Southern Region game warden contingent and then as the state Boating Law Administrator. He served as the state’s Boating Law Administrator from 2009 - 2018. Dave ensured the safety of boaters in his state through tireless devotion, painstaking planning and nearly flawless execution.
Throughout his more than 30 years of service, Dave never lost passion for the job or for making boating safer in Nevada. Up to his retirement, he went out on patrol as often as his schedule would permit. Dave was a leader and a friend, and will be dearly missed.
Dave was devoted to his family and wanted nothing more than to see his children accomplish their goals. He is survived by his wife, Becky, and their two children, Blake and Kelli.
Kathy Teligades (
kteligad@ndow.org) will be accepting cards and donations for the Pfiffner family. DATS Regional front desk staff will also be collecting any cards or donations to be forwarded to Kathy. Please feel free to contact her at 3373 Pepper Lane, Las Vegas, NV. 89120, (702) 668-6545. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.