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Obituary (CA): David Freeman Sears '59

Posted on 05/24/2019

David Freeman Sears was born to Kenneth and Jane Sears on July 28, 1937 in Seattle Washington. He was raised in Seattle, Portland Oregon and Stockton, California. He graduated from Stockton College High School in 1955 and attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1955 until his graduation with highest honors in 1959. After serving on a destroyer for 38 months, he married his college sweetheart, Catherine Neos of Bethlehem Pennsylvania, in September of 1962 while they were en route to Submarine training in Groton, Connecticut. They served in the submarine service for the next 17 years culminating in 4 years as Commanding Officer on the USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659) followed by 2 years as the Current Strategic Operations Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief, Atlantic. From this position they retired and moved to Vallejo, California in 1979. While in the Navy they were blessed with 9 children: David of Elk Grove (Teri), Nichola of Loyalton (Shawn), Jason of Elk Grove (Edith), Anna of Ojai, Raechelle of Elk Grove (Kevin), Jonathan of Vallejo, Rebekah of Elk Grove (Doug) James of Benicia, and Michael of Chico (Leah). After leaving the naval service they added Audrell of Vacaville to the family. They were then blessed with 21 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Following retirement from the Navy, David became a professor at the California Maritime Academy and during his 25 years there he saw it move from a special school to a campus of the California State University system. David retired as a Professor Emeritus in 2005 and could be seen around town as a volunteer for the Benicia Police Department. David is survived by his brother Murven (Helen) of Mendocino, California, and many nieces and nephews. Committal will be at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery alongside his beloved wife of nearly 50 years Catherine, also known as Bunny in her youth and as Kay to her many friends of later years.

Published in The Sacramento Bee from May 22 to May 24, 2019