Salinas
Donald David Eshoff
Donald David Eshoff was born November 10, 1930 and passed away Thursday, October 3, 2013.
For the 45 years he lived in Monterey County, Don Eshoff shared his gifts with the community as an educator and a musician. He played his last concert on the Fourth of July 2013, at the age of 82.
Born in Los Angeles, the trajectory of his life was set at age 7, when his Russian grandmother insisted he take music lessons. Since his father was a bugler in World War I, he decided to try the trumpet. Extraordinarily talented, by the age of 9 he was playing under conductors Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski and others, in the renowned Meremblum's Youth Orchestra. At age 12, he was playing professionally in area jazz clubs and as a 14 year old, he lied about his age to join the musician's union so that he could play in symphonies and movie studio orchestras.
He attended the University of Southern California, earning a B.A. in Music Education and later an M.A. in Educational Administration. In 1953, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly, and they had four children, Mike, Mark, Melinda, and Marty.
In 1968, the Eshoff family moved to Monterey County where Don served for 20 years as an elementary school principal and director of music education for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. In addition, he played principal trumpet for the Monterey County and Monterey Bay Symphonies. He played regularly with the Pacific Brass, the Monterey Brass Quintet, the Camerata Singers, I Cantori, and many other ensembles, including summer festival orchestras in Bear Valley and Sunriver, Oregon. For 20 years he led the California Rodeo Band, and in 1987, he was chosen as the soloist for Pope John Paul's historic visit to the Carmel Mission. He owned and operated "Music Unlimited," providing a variety of entertainment to numerous venues throughout Monterey County, including the Monterey Peninsula Country Club, The Naval Postgraduate School, and the Beach and Tennis Club at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. He and his business partner developed unique trumpet and clarinet stands that have been sold worldwide.
A man of deep faith in Jesus Christ, he served as an elder and choir director in Presbyterian Churches in Inglewood and Salinas. He and his family were active at First Presbyterian Church, Salinas. He also attended Northminster Presbyterian Church, Salinas and The Church in the Forest, Pebble Beach.
After his 49 year marriage to Beverly ended with her death in 2002, he married Shirley Kirkpatrick with whom he enjoyed traveling and his last years of retirement. He is survived by Shirley; his four children, their spouses and 12 grandchildren.
Services will be held Sunday, October 13 at 3:00 p.m., at The Church in the Forest, 3152 Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach.
Contributions in his honor may be made to the Monterey County Pops!, P. O. Box 3352, Monterey, CA 93942.
Funeral arrangements by Struve and Laporte Funeral Home. Online condolences to www.struveandlaporte.com
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Published in The Salinas Californian from Oct. 8 to Oct. 9, 2013
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