Life-long activist David Oats passes

David Oats, former Managing Editor of The Queens Courier, passed away on Tuesday, February 5 after a short illness. He was 58 years old.
Oats was passionate about the city and about his community. As a child living near the park, he worked with Robert Moses, master builder. He was a champion of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, serving as president of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park World’s Fair Association.
“For over 30 years David lived in a building overlooking the park,” said friend Greg Godfrey. “He was instrumental in bringing the U.S. Open to Flushing Meadows and created the ‘Master Plan’ that called for the creation of the Queens Museum of Art.”
In addition, Godfrey said, Oats worked on several preservation and rehabilitation projects, including the New York State Pavilion.
Oats had been advocating to bring the Flushing Remonstrance back to Queens beginning in 2000, when he arranged its viewing at the Flushing Library. His passion was to see it permanently housed in the Queens Museum of Art building.
In the race to host the 2012 Olympics, Oats, who felt a stadium for the games should be built in Flushing Meadows, created the Queens Olympic Committee, which met with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“He was awesome,” said Godfrey. “He always did the right thing. He would take on issues important to him and act on them by writing about them and lobbying politicians and officials.”
“While David was editor, his writing and creative ideas helped my newspapers achieve a new level. His genius overwhelmed me and his writing often brought me to tears,” said Victoria Schneps-Yunis, publisher of The Queens Courier.
“I loved David. I knew him for over 20 years. He had an ability to make me laugh, even under the most stressful times, putting out our newspapers at crazy late-night hours. His creativity was the best in the weekly business! I will miss him dearly,” said Amy Amato, Art Director/Vice President of The Queens Courier.
Oats is survived by his wife of 21 years, Corinne, and a sister, Virginia Ernst.
Funeral arrangements will be private.