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1935
2017
David Milton Shanahan (9/13/1935 - 8/23/2017) passed from this life on earth just short of his 82nd birthday.
David was born in Glendale, CA to Ferrelle & Walter Shanahan. He had a life-long love of driving trucks and being on the road. As a boy, David would bicycle with his Brownie camera to the nearest truck route in Glendale and spend the day taking photos. He would spread all the photos on his bed, knew every make of 18-wheeler, and dreamed of the day he would be behind the wheel of a big rig.
After high school, David enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served an active duty tour during the Korean War in Germany as a medic. He also served 8 years in the Army Reserves.
Upon returning to Glendale he drove for Cal-Ray Bakery delivering cookies to grocery stores. Mutual friends introduced David to Jean Kaizoji of Los Angeles, CA. They married in 1962, and enjoyed a long and happy marriage of over 40 years together. David and Jean made their first home in the woods of Estacada, OR where their two daughters Kelly and Miya were born.
David spent 40 years as a long-distance trucker mostly driving a west coast route between San Diego, CA and Vancouver, Canada. David and Jean wanted to be closer to their families, so they moved back to southern California. Eventually they bought a small avocado farm and lived in Fallbrook, CA. Upon retirement, David and Jean sold their place, bought their dream RV and enjoyed the freedom of life on the road. Half of the year they would headquarter in northern California with Miya's family including grandson Sam and son-in-law Eric, and then spent the rest of the year in Durango, CO with Kelly, granddaughter Hannah, and son-in-law Randy.
David valued time spent with family and devoted countless vacations driving his extended Kaizoji and Shanahan families to national parks and camping sites across the west. He enjoyed watching sports, especially Bronco and Charger games. David was always in search of a great margarita on the rocks. He had a keen sense of humor and was an excellent writer of letters. He enjoyed reading, and some of his favorite authors were Hunter S. Thompson and Kinky Freidman. David took every opportunity to drive the RV to places like Lees Ferry, AZ along the Colorado River, and Pillar Point at Half Moon Bay, CA. He loved all the dogs he ever had with special affection toward his traveling companion Buddy.
One brother preceded David in passing: Donald of Cathlamet, WA. Three remaining siblings are Thomas of Aptos, CA; Paul of Fairbanks, AK, and Ruth who resides in Durango, CO.
A memorial service is scheduled at a later date to take place at Half Moon Bay, CA.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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