David died on July 13, 2006 of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Dave was born August 23, 1933 in Trinidad, Colorado to Armand and Vera Maio.  His family includes Carolyn, his wife of 50 years; sons Keith and his wife, Vicki; Stephen and his wife Vivian; sister Dona; and nine grandchildren.

Dave attended Colorado University for one year before receiving his congressional appointment in 1952 to the Academy from Colorado.  He graduated in 1956.  Upon graduation he served briefly at flight training; however, he changed to a USAF technical career focusing on the Research and Development of Air Force programs. He earned a masters degree in Meteorology at the University of Washington and served 3 years as a USAF Weather Officer. Following a masters degree in Physics at the University of Michigan, Dave served nearly 10 years as a USAF Physicist.  He earned a PhD in Physics at the University of Arizona and served over six years as Scientific Manager for USAF R & D programs.  His achievements earned him the AF Outstanding Unit Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Legion of Merit.  Dave retired as Colonel in 1980 after 24 years of service.

Dr. Maio continued his engineering development career as Physical Science Administrator at the Physical Science Laboratory, a non-profit arm of New Mexico State University (NMSU).  In 1994, he retired from NMSU and moved to the mountains in Lakeside, Arizona where they were busy with hiking, gardening and building trails.