David Robert LEVAD Obituary (2025)

David "Dave" Robert Levad, age 82, of Yakima, Washington, passed away on March 1, 2025. On December 2, 1942, Gordon and Marie Levad gave birth to their son, Dave in Forest City, Iowa. He was their third son in four years; they then had six more sons and three daughters. Dave loved his big, chaotic family. As well as reading, fishing and hunting with his brothers, football, basketball, and the early-1960s rock-and-roll scene. He met and fell in love with Betty Jo Davis in his junior-year geometry class. When he was barely sixteen, Dave and two of his brothers went to the last concert of Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, which was at the Crystal Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, 1963. Betty Jo was mad she didn't get to go because she wasn't sixteen until February 3rd. She must have forgiven Dave for going without her because she married him on April 4, 1964, and remained married to him until her passing on October 6, 2024; sixty years, five months, and two days. Dave and Betty Jo had a big, chaotic family of their own with children, Mark, Diane, Mike, Pat, Tim, and Sarah. Dave went to school at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado to become a teacher. He was the first male Special Ed teacher in District 11 in Colorado Springs. He then went to the University of Texas in Austin to become an elementary school principal. Dave started his career as a principal in Colorado Springs at Helen Hunt Elementary School. In the summer of 1981, he and Betty Jo moved their six kids and the family dog to Yakima, Washington, after a trip to California to go to Disneyland. Dave was a principal in the West Valley School district in the Yakima Valley from August 1981 until June 2006, when he retired. He served at Summitview and Mountainview Elementary and was the founding principal of Cottonwood. He delighted in children and in sharing hundreds of stories about the thousands of kids that came through his buildings. He continued his work with children after retirement advocating for underserved kids to attend Head Start programs. You could take the boy off the farm, but you couldn't take the farm out of the boy. The first house Dave and Betty Jo purchased in Yakima was a 100-year-old farmhouse with an acre and a half of orchard behind it. Raising apples and cherries was an intense hobby that doubled as a way to teach his kids the value of discipline, hard work, and education. He also completed over 400 hours of volunteer work doing handyman jobs throughout the community as a member of the Volunteer Chore Service of Catholic Charities. Everyone gathered at the family table. It always sat at least eight people with room for a few more; it was a space for laughter and tears, bleeding knees, bandaged elbows, prayers, and memories. Dave and Betty Jo raised more than their own kids. They welcomed every kid their children ever brought home. Even when Dave was at Willow Springs Care Center after Betty Jo's passing, adults who knew Dave when they were a kid would make a point of saying "hi" when they discovered he was there. Like Betty Jo, he will be remembered by many for his intense care for young people. Dave's parents raised him in the Catholic faith, which he loved. His faith and family got him through many tribulations and brought him lots of joy. From serving as an altar boy to being a lector at Holy Family well into his 70's. He made the church central to his life-but it was wise never to ask him to sing. He and Betty Jo also participated in and ran many Engaged and Marriage Encounters, were members of Family Circle, and established a small group of other faithful couples all of whom were their perfect friends right up until the end. We can't begin to show how much gratitude and love we have for those friends this past year as we lost both of our parents. Many memories of Dave took place outside; working, playing, fishing, hunting, cutting wood, playing cards, or eating around a campfire. As a family, we camped anywhere we went overnight. His truck was never without a fishing pole and a few lures. He helped establish the week-long Cispus Learning Center environmental camp that all sixth graders of West Valley School District attended each fall. Dave and Betty Jo loved the outdoors so much they bought a cabin at Log Cabin Resort on the Colville Indian Reservation after they retired. They had it for over ten years and built a wonderful circle of friends there, also convincing their friends the Schends and Dave's brother, Steve, to join the community. Dave and Betty Jo made the lake a magical place for their eight grandchildren-from fishing to swimming-to stalking loons on the lake in the early morning-while their kids happily relaxed by the shore. Dave was the best dad ever. He was big and strong but so gentle and loving. As Parkinson's dementia took him deeper and deeper into his memories he knew us and his friends. We are so very thankful we got to have the time we did with him after our mom passed. Being there with him, caring for him was very healing. Coming from an Irish family, Dave appreciated a well-crafted drink. We will leave you with a recipe and a wish to share it with those you love. Mix in a highball glass of ice a shot of Wild Turkey Bourbon with Squirt Soda. It's strong, earthy, and sweet with an amusing sour kick, just like our dad Dave Levad. We call it the Palindrome. If you know, you know. Raise a glass of celebration to Dave Levad, who is home again with his wife, Betty Jo, his parents, Marie and Gordon, his brothers, Charles, Richard, Joseph, Edward, and Robert, his siblings-in-law, Robert Davis, Trena Levad, Bob Mosiman, Eric Lovstad, Michael Bedig, and Judy Levad. Joining you in your toast will be Dave and Betty Jo's children, Mark Levad, Diane (Brent) Whitmire, Michael (Maren) Levad, Patrick (Jennifer Grey) Levad, Tim (Kathrin) Levad, and Sarah (James) Fitzgerald, their grandchildren, Aiden Fitzgerald, Alana Fitzgerald, Davin Levad, Mickey Levad, Emma (Alastair) Burgess, Nicole (Ray) Grant, Max Tim, and Eliza Levad, their great-grandchildren, Freya Grant and Henry Burgess, and Dave's siblings, Steve (Barb) Levad, Jim Levad, Tom (Dorothy Fogg) Levad, Mary Lovstad, Susan (John) Baugus, and Sharon Bedig, as well as in-laws, Karen Levad, Linda Levad Passow, Sally Oelkers, and Deb (Steve) Sjolsvold, along with many nieces and nephews and their children, among whom, Andy Levad and Brady Levad are Dave and Betty Jo's particular bonus kids. A Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 3:00-7:00pm at Shaw & Son's Funeral Home (201 N 2nd Street, Yakima, WA). Dave's Funeral Service will be held on Friday, April 4, 2025, at 10:00am, at Holy Family Catholic Church (5315 Tieton Drive, Yakima, WA). Burial will immediately follow at Calvary Cemetery (1405 S 24th Avenue, Yakima, WA). All are welcome to join us for a Mexican food luncheon reception will follow afterwards at the 4th Street Theatre on the back side of the Capitol Theatre (14 S 4th street, Yakima, WA). In lieu of flowers, please donate to Catholic Charities Volunteer Services. Contributions may be made on their website (https://catholiccharitiescw.org/donate) or made payable to this organization and sent in care of Shaw & Sons Funeral Home (201 N 2nd St., Yakima, WA, 98901) who is caring for the family. Memories of Dave and condolences to the family may be shared at www.shawandsons.com.