David Franklin Mosher was born in Palo Alto, on Dec. 13, 1932, to Pearl Award Mosher and Reuben Edgar Mosher. He grew up in Palo Alto, attending Addison Elementary School, Jordan Jr. High School and Palo Alto High School.
David was quite musically talented; he sang a solo in church at age 5, played ragtime piano that he played by ear, strummed his “uke” steel ukelele and played his C melody saxophone with out a single lesson. He learned to read music at age 40, and was an accomplished organist. He could play anything!
During the Korean War, David spent two years in the Army in Lyon, France as a driver for Army officers. He returned to Palo Alto and began work as a mechanic, as he had been trained in his father’s auto shop as a teen.
In 1956, he met Bonnie King (Bonny Penny Mosher) at a stoplight on Bayshore Freeway, and they married six weeks later. They had two children who they raised in Palo Alto, and divorced as very good friends 17 years later.
David spent 20 years working for Stanford University as a glass blower, blowing all kinds of vacuum tubes and other sophisticated tubing designs for the professors. He was also an engineering technician in the Stanford Engineering department. David loved building things and built his sailboat by hand in the garage. He could fix anything.
In 1974, he moved to San Luis Obispo and started working for Cal Poly as an Engineering Technician, where he worked for the remainder of his career. It was in 1975 that he met the love of his life, Freida at a dance. They were married in 1976, and have had 44 wonderful years together. They loved spending time with all the kids and grandkids, and they loved to camp in Yosemite each year with family. David loved camping, because he could talk to all his “neighbors” — he was truly a friend to all.
David was predeceased by his parents and his brother Whidden Mosher.
He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Freida Mosher, and by his daughters Mary (John) Hansen of Palo Alto, MaryLou (Shorty) Lynch of Atascadero, and Kim (Rich) Venturi of Willits. He had six grandchildren, Lori Smith (Matt) of San Antonio, Texas, Brandi Lynch of Atascadero, Kimberly Dolci (Adam) of Watertown, NY, Christopher Hansen of Belmont, Eli Mosher of Willits, and Justin Mosher (Megan) of Hubert, NC. He had eight great-grandchildren, Kaylee Gibbons, Justice Gibbons, Madison Smith, Trevor Smith, Treyton, Alahana, Carmon, and Reid Dolci. He is also survived by many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.
David was the most sensitive, kind and gentle man we have ever known, while still being wise and strong enough to protect us all. He made us all better people by his example and he will live on in all of us forever.
A viewing will be held at Chapel of the Roses Mortuary on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. A graveside service will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Atascadero Pine Mountain Cemetery at 1 Cemetery Rd., Atascadero. Family and friends are welcome.
