David Sanford Drum

Col David Sanford Drum, USMC Ret. was many things, but two stood out.

He was a Marine and a swimmer.

Dave’s Dad, Andrew Boggs Drum was a USMC Colonel when his Mom,

Catherine Chadwick (nee Cass) gave birth to Dave on June 24, 1935. As a

toddler he lived in base quarters at Puget Sound and Pearl Harbor Naval

Shipyards.

After his Dad retired in 1945, Dave spent a Huck Finn-like year with his

cousin, Lee Cass, in Warsaw, NY. A favorite escapade was to hop a slow

moving train, jump off at the berry patch, then hike home with heavy

buckets, anticipating Grammy’s pies.

They settled in Long Beach, California, a bicycle ride from the beach. Dave

swam for his Wilson High School swim team and his relay won a national

title. At UCLA he was on the swim & water polo teams. Summers were

spent as a Huntington Beach lifeguard.

Dave competed with US Masters Swimming until his late-70s, setting

many local records and garnering five All American titles. He trained in a

pool, often with a coach, during the week. On weekends he bodysurfed

with his water dog, Harli, or competed in ocean races. He joined hardy

folks doing open water swims all year, even when the water was 55° (no

wet suits!). When traveling he’d ask locals about the “swimming hole,” be

it a lake or stream or YMCA. In Washington, Dave’s ocean adventures

diminished, but he took occasional dips into nearby waters and looked

forward to an annual summer swim across the Hood Canal near

Hoodsport with friends.

Dave liked to camp, hike and fish. Sometimes he’d slip into the stream

first, to discover where the fish hung out. Dry off, then pull out the rod and

reel. In Okinawa, Dave scuba-dived most days and sailed his small

catamaran on weekends. Once he climbed Mt Fuji.

Dave loved the esprit de corps plus physical and intellectual challenges of

a Marine Corps Artillery Officer. Assignments took him to the Nevada

desert, California coast, Hawaii, Japan the Pentagon, and Denver where

earned an MBA at University of Denver. He trained troops at Camp

Pendleton, supervised the introduction of computers for USMC war

planning at the Pentagon, coordinated the upkeep and construction

programs at MCRD, San Diego and inspected troops in Southeast Asia.

His marksmanship earned him a spot representing the USMC in a national

match at Camp Perry. He also spent a year with an Artillery unit in

Vietnam.

Dave married Barbara Ann (Burgman) in 1961, giving birth to two

daughters, Alexis and Dana. After Barbara’s death, Dave married

Francesca in 1988. They moved to Washington to join both their families

living in Kitsap County. They resided in Port Ludlow and Port Hadlock,

returning to Poulsbo three years ago.

Dave’s parents, brother William Findley Drum, half-brother Andrew Boggs

Drum III, and first wife Barbara predeceased him. Dave is survived by his

wife, Francesca (Halligan) Drum of Poulsbo, WA, daughters Alexis Anne

Drum, Monterey, CA and Dana Marlene Drum, Albuquerque, NM and

sister-in-law, Olga Lily (Cherepenko) Drum and nephew Andrew Drum,

Kingston, WA.

Dave joined all the swimmers and Marines in heaven on June 11, 2020. He

will be interred at Mountain View Cemetery by close family members.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Navy-Marine Corps Relief

Society, Naval Base Bremerton or your favorite charity.