In Memory
David Pitcher
1941 - 2022
David Pitcher passed away peacefully on July 5, 2022, at the age of 80. After David's birth in Los Angeles, his parents, Clifford and Gloria, moved to Napa where he grew up on their small farm-ranch on Redwood Road. After graduation from Napa High School in 1960, he enlisted in the Navy and enjoyed his service in the Western Pacific aboard the destroyer USS Chevalier as a Machinist Mate. David continued his long machinist career at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in 1964 until his retirement as a Machinist Instructor in the Apprentice Vestibule School. He was always proud that he was able to help shape the early careers of hundreds of apprentices.
It was while attending a friend and coworker's wedding that David met his future wife, Lois Beaman. Married in 1967, David and Lois raised their family in Napa. David was a devoted husband and father, he loved spending time outdoors with extended family and friends, camping, boating, and hunting. Always involved with his kids' sports teams, he was both a coach and a fan. David enjoyed home improvement projects and as a skilled craftsman in woodworking and welding, he loved helping family and friends with their own projects. David loved people, was unfailingly sociable, and was an enthusiastic and vivid storyteller.
David left an indelible mark on his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Lois, their children and their spouses, Troy and Olga, John and Courtney, Craig and Holly, and Jinnifer and Anne, and grandchildren, Zachary, Lauren, and Taylor. RIP 5-Shot!
The family will hold a private service in the fall. Inquires can be directed to loispitcher@outlook.com.
Arlie Lloyd
David and I met in second gratde at Salvador, and went all through school together. We played cowboys and indians toether, and shared many classes together.. We even joined the Navy about the same time, and learned our lifelong trades there. Apostle Paul called our bodies temporary tents, that desolve back into the Earth. I hope we all can continue our friendships at the resurrection someday. God keep you safe David, till we meet again. You are always my friend.
Bonnie Reams (McMechen)
Arlie, More beautiful words.
Richard "Dick" Curtis
Dave and I met in the 7th grade. We participated in sports together until I stopped because of my job over at Chic's Burgers, but a good friendship was developed. I joined the navy after I dropped out of Napa Junior College and the basketball team and shoved off to boot camp. On my first boot liberty I was going into the YMCA on Broadway St. in San Diego and who do I meet in the lobby, Dave Pitcher. You don't know how good that made me feel after six weeks in Boot Camp and looking at nine more weeks to go. We had a good time together that day in San Diego. Here was a classmate of mine that is now a seasoned sailor in my book bumming around San Diego with a boot. Time goes on and a couple of years later I am on my Destroyer Escort homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when a San Diego Destoyer, the USS Chevalier, comes in and tiies up right in front of us. It is Dave Pitcher's ship. We meet again and now I am the guide showing Dave around Honolulu and Waikiki. Dave wanted to go surfing with a shipmate and asked me to take pictures of them with his 8 mm movie camera. I did and I hope he saved them because they were a riot. Dave and his buddy didn't wax their boards and proceeded to give a demonstration of the hundreds of ways a surfer could wipe out on Waikiki Beach. That was partially my fault. I thought the Kanaka renting them the boards (really big boards, not the little things they use today) would show them how to wax the board and pound sand into it for non-skid. I should have checked but was too busy trying figure out how to use Daves camera. That being said, Dave and his shipmate, even thought a little battered from falling off surfboards for a couple of hours, and I had a great time that day on Waikiki Beach. We were young in those days so Dave and his buddy healed fast. Dave was a great guy, excellent sailor and a friend.