David A. Fleming

December 1, 1922- August 28, 2010 Dave Fleming passed away Saturday morning August 28th in Eureka California. He had just returned home after a two month battle recovering from brain surgery. Dave was born in Eureka on December 1, 1922 and lived in Eureka almost all his life. Dave was above all a loving husband, father, grandfather and son. Dave lived a life most people only read about in books: sailing the bay as a teenager, riding motorcycles across the countryside as a young man, serving his country in World War II in North Africa and Italy, piloting planes across the country,surrounded by friends and family and touching everyone he knew with his jokes and good humor. He was a pilot and loved to fly. Dave owned or built 100 airplanes in his lifetime starting when he flew with his older brother, Paul, in the years after the war. Dave continued to fly into his 80s and he still worked on his Cessna 172 with his grandson Dan. Dave could build or fix anything. He started working on houses as a young man for his mother in the 1930s and built houses with his father. He built at least five houses with his own hands, finishing his and his wife Maxine's dream house when he was 70. He worked at garages and body shops most of his life and was an expert body and paint man. Working on cars, motorcycles and planes wasn't just a job, it was one of the things he loved to do. Dave never bought a car or a motorcycle off a lot and neither did his family. Starting with his first Harley which he built from a box at age 11 and his 32 Ford Roadster as a young teen, Dave built most of his and his family's cars from parts and "totals". He was still doing body work and shooting paint with his grandson David, last summer Dave was funny. He always had a quick joke for a friend or a stranger. He would ask houseguests and especially children,"would you like some strawberry pie?" He didn't ever have any strawberry pie, but a lot of people fell for, and laughed at that joke. He loved to tell the stories of his life. From outrunning the Eureka police as a hell raising teen (and a preacher's son), to outrunning bombs in Italy and running around the country trading for cars, planes, bikes and boats. He loved his wife Maxine and felt lucky to have have found someone to share his days with later in life. Dave got to travel back to Italy with Maxine and his grandsons and grand daughter-in-law two years ago. Dave got to see some of the places he fought at during the war and got to stay in Rome, the city he helped liberate. Even though much had changed it was an experience he relived often. Dave is preceeded in death by his son Bobby, daughter Nancy (Reed, Griffith), his ex-wife Jessie (Johnson), his brother Paul, his sister Lee (Helen Lee Hadley) and his mother and father, Ida Fleming and Edward Fleming. Dave is survived by his loving wife Maxine and his grandsons Daniel Reed and David Reed and his grandaughter-in-law Cori Reed, step sons Larry Strombeck, Lon Strombeck and wife Susan, Dirk Strombeck and wife Joyce. And step grandchildren: Eric Strombeck and wife Brandi and Rebbecca Strombeck and step great grand children Jacob Strombeck and Hunter Strombeck. A celebration of Dave Fleming's life will be held at Eureka's First Baptist Church at Del Norte and E Streets on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to the First Baptist Church 422 Del Norte St., Eureka. We all love you and will miss you. Please sign the online guestbook, go to www.times-standard.com, click on obits.