David Joseph Van Loan

David Joseph Van Loan was born September 13, 1936, in Mitchell, South Dakota, to Allen and Julia Van Loan. His father was a carpenter, and his mother was a homemaker who later became a teacher. David was the oldest of four children, with two brothers, Denis and Philip, and a sister, Mary.

In 1939, his father moved to Washington state to work in the Bremerton shipyards, and the family joined him in 1941. After the war, they moved to Richland, where his father worked on the Hanford project. A few years later, the family settled in Brewster, Washington, where David attended junior and senior high school. He lettered in football and worked in the orchards. He graduated with a class of 25 students.

David attended Gonzaga University, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958. He was hired by The Boeing Company and spent his entire career there, working in its commercial, military and aerospace divisions.

His first assignment took him to Minnesota, where he met and married Avis Power. They soon moved to Seattle, where their three children, Debbie, Annette and Patrick, were born.

In 1967, an opportunity took David and his family to Houston, Texas, where he was assigned to work with NASA on the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz projects. It was an exciting time in his career, and he was proud to be part of these historic programs.

While living in Texas, David also served as a volunteer firefighter in Shoreacres and eventually became fire chief. He taught a class at Texas A&M on mop-up and recovery to other firefighters and spearheaded a fundraiser to purchase a new fire truck to replace the department's old one. With Dave at the helm, they were successful.

In 1975, the family moved back to Seattle, where the children finished school.

In 1986, David moved to Wichita, Kansas, where he met and later married Karen. Her children, Mark, Vernon and Danielle, became part of the family as well.

David was active in his Catholic faith. He taught CCD classes at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Burien and served as a lector and Eucharistic minister. He also delivered Communion to people in senior living communities and at the local hospital. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was always ready to help with church breakfasts. He didn't just show up to cook—he helped make the sausage from scratch, grinding the pork and filling the sausage casings by hand.

David loved hunting and fishing with his father and later with his son. He and Karen enjoyed camping and belonged to the Good Sam Club, where David became a Wagon Master.

After retiring, David volunteered at the Museum of Flight Restoration Center in Everett, where he helped install exhibits.

David was a problem solver. He loved to fix things, whether it was a car, a home project, or anything else that needed a hammer, paintbrush or wrench. He was there for the good times and the hard times. If you needed help or had a problem, he was there.

And if he couldn't fix it, he would simply pray for you.

Many people were recipients of his help and his prayers.

In his later years, dementia affected his quality of life, but David always maintained his polite and gentle demeanor. His personality and the person he had always been continued to shine through.

David was preceded in death by his wife, Karen; his first wife, Avis, the mother of his children; and his sister-in-law, Dale.

He is survived by his brothers, Denis (Sandy) Van Loan and Philip Van Loan; his sister, Mary (Wayne) Boden; his daughters, Debbie (Roger) Millward and Annette (Eric) Elsey; his son, Patrick (Erin); his beloved stepchildren, Mark (Kim) Gilbert, Vernon Beach and Danielle Beach; and his grandchildren, Brianna, Rorie (Ainsley), Christian, Troy, Emily, Philip (Grace), Bekah, Ethan and Clara.

David will be remembered as a man who loved his family, served his church and community, fixed what he could, helped whenever he was needed, and prayed when there was nothing left to fix. He will be deeply missed.