David William Foord

David William Foord was born in Sacramento on November 1, 1954. He grew up on the Delta in Rio Vista, CA with his five siblings, until his family moved to Pacific Grove when he was eleven. He spent the remainder of his life on the Monterey Peninsula, raising his daughter Nicole in Pacific Grove, and then carefully restoring his Monterey home in the historic Alta Mesa neighborhood with his beloved wife Kathleen.

David took great pride and pleasure in his work. He began working as a carpenter, following in his father’s footsteps, out of high school. He worked as a superintendent for H. A. Ekelin Construction for many years, until he was encouraged to become a building inspector for California schools through the Division of State Architects. The test to become a building inspector is notoriously challenging, besting many engineers, but David passed it on his first attempt, and then many times over the following years in order to keep his license current. In his almost 30 years as a building inspector, David had a hand in the construction of countless local landmarks, including the Monterey Sports Center, Buena Vista Middle School in Spreckels, the MPC library, and the Monterey Conference Center.

Even more than his work, David took great pride in his family. He was a dedicated father, step-father, and grandfather. He would befriend everyone – waiters, co-workers, spectators on the sidelines at sporting events – telling them who he was celebrating or cheering on, and how proud of them he was. He was quick with a story – usually a self-deprecating one – and you never really knew if he was serious or just joking.

David loved hosting people at his home. He was notorious for his lengthy “speeches” or “statements” prior to breaking bread, and he enjoyed playing DJ and karaoke after dinner. This past Christmas Eve, he treated family and friends to a surprise performance as Elvis Presley, before donning his Santa suit to pass out gifts to the little ones in attendance. Very few things made him happier than playing Santa Claus every year.

Golf was also a source of happiness – and sometimes frustration. He enjoyed playing various men’s clubs on the peninsula, but most recently in the Monterey Pines Men’s Club. Although he could never quite convince his daughter or granddaughter to play, he began teaching his grandson Reid to play in the last year. Those afternoons on the golf course were cherished by all, David most especially.

David also enjoyed traveling, particularly in the last decade. In addition to frequent trips to Hawaii to visit Kathleen’s family, David and Kathleen traveled throughout much of Europe and Australia. A feather in David’s cap was that they managed to visit the locations and attend the four major tennis tournaments. Additionally, they enjoyed a couple of European cruises in recent years, where they traveled with a group of friends they met on their first cruise.

David will be sorely missed by his family and circle of friends. David is preceded in death by his son Christopher and his first wife, Debra; his parents Frances and Dustin; and his brother Greg. He is survived by his daughter Nicole Bulich, his son-in-law Ryan, and their twins Shayla and Reid. In addition to his wife Kathleen, he is survived by his step-children Kellie and Stephen Ventimilia; their spouses, Michael and Natalie; and their children, Kai, Joey, and soon-to-arrive Rei. Lastly, he is survived by his siblings: Carolyn Foord, Laurie Vermulen, Jim Foord, and Julie Glade, and his 11 nieces and nephews.