A memorial celebration service will be held Sunday, September 15, at 1:00 P.M., at the Yosemite Lakes Park Clubhouse in Coarsegold, CA. Condolences for the family or requests for information on the memorial may be sent to [email protected].
David Van Fleet du Bois passed away August 12, 2013, just three days shy of his 92nd birthday. He died of a heart attack in his home in Coarsegold, CA; his daughter Gina was by his side.
Affectionately known as “Papadave,” he was the beloved father, grandfather, brother, and uncle of a great and far-reaching family, he himself being a direct descendent of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and of Civil War surgeon Dr. Henry Augustus du Bois. Born in Turlock, CA, to Henry and Beatrice du Bois, Dave was raised on a ranch with six brothers and sisters and never lost his love of nature.
He graduated from Hilmar High School, conducted radio and radar servicing in the US Navy during WWII, and later earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, followed by a teaching credential, from San Francisco State University.
Dave was athletic all his life and, while in college, swam in “Billy Rose’s Aquacade” in the 1939 World’s Fair in San Francisco with Esther Williams and Johnny Weismuller.
His love was teaching, though. He was a founding member of Gavilan Community College in Gilroy, CA, and spent most of his career there as a professor of biology. He also taught electronics and psychology.
Dave served as an auxiliary policeman and gave back to the community as a 4-H Club leader and sports coach. Always a scholar, he pursued a Ph.D. in psychology subsequent to his teaching career and practiced for several years as a hypnotherapist and graphologist.
Upon retiring he moved with his wife, Pat, from Hollister to Coarsegold, where they built a home in the foothills of Yosemite. There, Dave loved tilling the soil on his tractor, planting vegetables, and taming the land. He was the president of the Retired Teachers Association in Madera and an active participant in a daily ham radio broadcast.
Energetic and active until the end, Dave will be remembered for his quick wit, disciplined mind, and never-ceasing pursuit of knowledge.
He was first married to Frances de L’Étanche (now deceased) of Santa Cruz and is survived by their daughters Thaya du Bois, Roxanne du Bois Cull, Cynthia du Bois, Monica du Bois, and Gina du Bois. Their daughter Melanie passed away in 1980.
Subsequently married to Patricia Mahoy Martin (now deceased), Dave is survived by their children, Tod du Bois and Jill Heinke, and step-children Doug Martin, Karen Bell, Randy Martin, and Colleen Martin.
He is also survived by a brother, Ron du Bois, of Stillwater, OK, and a sister, Janne du Bois, of Miami, Florida, as well as 22 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Dave’s love of life, his tremendous sense of humor, his questioning mind, and his open acceptance of all people made him a great man in the eyes of his family and all those he touched. He is dearly missed.
