May God bless you and your...
Dave was such a great boss, and a very cool dude. He was always fair, and funny, so darn funny, and fun to work for. I have great memories of him at The Fox Theater. May he rest in peace.
Pam
September 30, 2025 | Work


Portland, Oregon
David M.BasarabaFeb. 23, 1942 - Sept. 27, 2023 David Max Basaraba died Sept. 27, 2023, at home. He was born in Portland to Walter and Katherine Basaraba. Dave graduated from Central Catholic High School and Portland State University. Dave was a warm hearted jokester that loved his family, music...
Read MoreDave was such a great boss, and a very cool dude. He was always fair, and funny, so darn funny, and fun to work for. I have great memories of him at The Fox Theater. May he rest in peace.
Pam
September 30, 2025 | Work
Tonya Gray let me know that the email I wrote to Dave was read aloud at his memorial, and I'm so touched and so happy that his loved ones got to hear what a great and impactful guy he was to us. In addition to that more emotional missive, I'll add some stories: Coming to work at KOIN Cinemas was an adventure every day, you never knew what mischief or hilarity Dave would drop on you in the most unexpected moments. He was notorious for standing and watching everyone working very seriously and...
Arne
November 27, 2023
Thank you to all who wrote and shared photos here. Our family appreciates your messages. He will be missed. As my aunt mentioned above, he was a jokester and your notes made us laugh which we know he would want us to be laughing. Especially like the message from Dr. Brown. He was a great time-traveler and story-teller. He got me every time with his stories. (I always believed him!)
Missy (Basaraba) Stalp
November 24, 2023 | Family
Biggest hugs to everyone who adored Dave. I worked with him at cinema 21 and his easygoing demeanor and love for his pups is what I remember the most. Great boss. Good man. I´m glad to have known him.
Tonya Gray
November 19, 2023 | Work

I loved Dave. He was a splendid, relaxed boss and a warm, friendly ally. We worked together every other Friday night for 13+ years at the Cinema 21. (In fact he's the one who hired me.) I often asked him for life advice, and he'd give me ridiculous answers involving "effervescent antidisestablishmentarianism and the square of the hypotenuse"--in other words, nonsense. One time, when I asked him why he stopped drinking, he told me the kicker was the morning he woke up on the floor of a bar...
Anna Marie Brown
November 18, 2023 | Work
Dave was the best boss ever. Sometimes he declared it Treat Night for the staff at the KOIN Center Cinema and we all got ice cream or candy. In fact it was always a treat having him running the show. My condolences.
Sarah Gilbert
October 23, 2023 | Work
I will always remember Dave fondly and with a smile. We met at Central Catholic High School, attended Portland State, and had many good times with mutual friends. We saw each other sporadically later in life, but I always think of him as a good friend, funny, smart, talented. As an art student he made a mobile of metal disks of varied sizes. I bought it from him and it remains in the family. Deepest condolences to Joy and the family.
Dan Hortsch
October 23, 2023 | Friend

I am so sorry to see this. I have fond memories of both David and Ed when we all lived at the apartments on SW Barbur Blvd. I still think of them when I make pierogi from the recipe their mother taught me. The picture is from the 70´s... My condolences. Kas Brattin 605 NE Laurelhurst Pl
Kas Brattin
October 22, 2023
Best time traveler I've ever known!
Dr. Brown
October 20, 2023