David Abeyta 11/29/1935 – 08/26/2018

David was born in Loma, Colorado and moved to Dragerton, Utah when he was about 10 years old. He completed his primary & high school education in Dragerton and began his college education years at Carbon Jr. College in Price, Utah. He received a scholarship for boxing and went on to Idaho State where he majored in Education and received his degree. His first teaching contract was in Boise. Idaho and then re-located to the San Francisco Bay Area where he taught Math and coached at Luther Burbank Middle School for the remainder of his teaching career.
David was 1 of 11 children born to Dora & Andrew Abeyta. His siblings were Pearl Lane (Kent), deceased, James Abeyta (Irene), deceased, Manual Abeyta (Edith), deceased, Jennie Hansen (Lauritz), deceased, Harry Abeyta (Sally), West Haven, Utah, Loretta Jewkes (Tom), St. George, Utah, Pati Olsen (Lynn), deceased, Margaret (Marty) Alves (George), Petaluma, CA., Carol Bland, (Terry) Salt Lake City, Utah, Charles (Chuck) (Carolyn), East Carbon City, Utah. He always maintained close contact and interacted with his many, many nieces and nephews.
He excelled in amateur boxing and was a Golden Glove Champion. He was a two-time NCAA Champion and was awarded the Outstanding Boxer of the 1958 NCAA Tournament. David was also a finalist for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. He lost his last bout on a technicality. He was inducted into the Idaho State University Hall of Fame in 1983.
David was an accomplished water color artist, a great sportsman, loved chess and guided many young people with their studies and extracurricular activities. He had such a love for books that he spent most of his time reading and talking about his young years in Utah and Idaho.
He had many friends in the Bay Area, resided in his beloved Burlingame where he was a frequent visitor to the local coffee shop, il piccalo caffe, library and restaurants.
In 2012 David was diagnosed with Dementia. He moved to Sonoma County and lived at The Adobe House, a Dementia facility, then in 2016 moved to Wild Rose Care Home in Santa Rosa, CA for the remainder of his years. We, as a family, are so grateful to Mary and the rest of the staff for their great care.
Funeral Mass will be on September 28, 2018 at 10:00 AM, to be held at St. Rose Catholic Church in Santa Rosa, CA.
You may wish to donate to your local Hospice Chapter in David Abeyta’s name. They accepted David into their program in March of 2017.