David Grant Vander Wall

1949 - 2023

David Grant Vander Wall
March 29, 1949 - June 14, 2023
Modesto, California -
Dedicated husband and father, The Honorable David "Dave" Grant Vander Wall passed away peacefully in his home on June 14, 2023 after a long and courageous battle with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. He was surrounded by his wife and children. Dave was a hard worker with a strong intellect. He always lived his life with integrity and had a deep love for his family.
Dave was born on March 29, 1949. He was raised in Modesto, California by his parents Ethel (Grant) and Richard Vander Wall. Dave attended Davis High School, graduating in 1967. A motivated student, he was freshman class president and competed in track and field-igniting a lifelong passion for running.
After graduating, he moved to the East Coast to attend Colgate University where he obtained his Bachelor's Degree in History, class of 1971. Dave was a diligent student-athlete and set a record for running while on the cross country and track and field teams. Dave had wonderful memories at Colgate, including with his Fraternity, Delta Upsilon. He loved attending his class reunions, continuing to be an active alumnus for the rest of his life. He had a memorable opportunity to study abroad in London which was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with London and the U.K. He enjoyed traveling there with his family on many exciting trips over the years. After graduating from Colgate, he made an unforgettable road trip in his convertible MG to California to attend UCLA School of Law-where he obtained his Juris Doctor Degree in 1974. He was an enthusiastic UCLA football and basketball fan for the rest of his life.
Following law school, he returned to his hometown of Modesto and took a position as a Stanislaus County Deputy District Attorney in December 1974 paving the way for a 45-year career in law. In 1977 he joined local law firm Damrell, Damrell, and Nelson practicing primarily civil law. This is where he would make many lifelong friends, including Frank C. Damrell II who would introduce him to his wife of nearly 40 years-Julie Vander Wall (Gallo)-on a blind date. In 1983, he was appointed to the Stanislaus County Municipal Court, one of Governor Jerry Brown's "midnight appointees." He would serve as a "muni court" judge for 10 years. At the time of his appointment, Dave was the youngest serving judge in California. In 1993 he was elected unopposed to the Stanislaus County Superior Court, serving 16 years as a superior court trial judge. He handled civil, felony, and criminal trials-which sometimes included high-profile cases. Dave eventually became the presiding judge and he retired in 2009 after 26 years on the bench. He spent the next 10 years working on assignment as part of the California Assigned Judges Program, fully retiring at age 70 in 2019. He was well respected and always felt it was an interesting career in which he made a substantial impact on the local community.
Dave had many interests outside of work. He loved golfing and was a member of the Del Rio Country Club. He was a voracious reader and an avid runner. Knowledgeable on many topics, he relished staying up to date on current events. A coffee lover, he could always be seen at the Queen Bean coffee shop with a book and the newspaper under his arm and his beloved yellow lab Larry at his feet. Dave cultivated a lifelong love of music. A talented musician, he could sit down at the piano or guitar and play almost any song by ear. An excellent writer, he would compose an original poem for his family's annual Christmas card. Dave had a great love of cooking and is remembered by many friends and family for his famous chocolate chip cookies. Dave married the love of his life-Julie-on May 26, 1984. They had many fun years together and created a loving home in Modesto where they had numerous friends and family. They loved gardening together and enjoyed traveling-planning many happy family vacations. Dave always put his family first and was an amazing and loving father to his two children Emily and Mark.
Dave is survived by his wife Julie; children Emily Vander Wall, Mark Vander Wall; sisters Barbara Padmos, Jennifer Bouman; and his dog Larry.
A Rosary and Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, June 29 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, 709 J Street, Modesto, CA 95354 with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Gallo Center for the Arts, galloarts.org, 1000 I St., Modesto, CA 95354 ; Capital Public Radio, capradio.org, 7055 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95826 ; Sisters of the Cross, sistersofthecross.com, 1320 Maze Blvd., Modesto, CA 95354 ; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, lls.org, P.O. Box 22324, New York NY 10087