I sure do miss my cousin, David.  Such a thoughtful, kind person.  I miss him dropping in to spend the night or running around doing family history research.

HE WAS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER!       SO SAD HE IS GONE!     WE VISITED SOMETIMES IN RECENT YEARS AT HIS JOB AT KCA IN RENO.      I KNEW DAVE VERY WELL  WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER WHEN HE WAS MINE FOREMAN AND I WAS MINE SUPER AT THE GOOSEBERY MINE IN NEVADA.  WE RODE A COUPLE HOURS TOGETHER EVERY DAY TO AND FROM WORK.  I WAS IN THE NAVY IN VIETNAM BUT DO NOT RECALL HIM EVER TALKING ABOUT HIS MILITARY SERVICE.  I SURE WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED HIS SERVICE AND BRAVERY!  HE LIVED IN CARSON CITY, SO I LET HIM TAKE MY COMPANY PICKUP HOME EVERY NIGHT.  HE PICKED ME UP EVERY WORK DAY  DRIVE TO AND FRO.   HE HIT A DEER WITH THE PICKUP ONCE AT THER SOUTH END OF WASHOE LAKE , HE FELT PRETTY BAD, I SAID, HEY, I'VE HIT A FEW TOO, IT IS OK.!!     I ALWAY REALLY LIKED HIM!  GREAT GUY!

Brother Dave, From one Air Force veteran to another:  You're cleared VFR direct to destination! May you always have tailwinds at your back, altitude below you, and fuel in your tanks. 
And thank you for being one of our stalwart SUVCW Brothers!
- Brian C. Pierson, Commander-in-Chief, SUVCW, Col (ret), USAF

to the man who taught me poker, the example to a young man. Good bye my friend

Dave was a staunch member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) with me and many other Brothers.   I always enjoyed talking to him before and after meetings.  He talked fondly of his family and of life in general.  Something about talking to Dave always made me calm and made me appreciate him.  I last spoke to Dave on September 26th after our Saturday monthly meeting when he (as he always did) helped me carry meeting supplies back to my car.  As always, he was kind and left with a smile stating he would see me soon.  He will be genuinely missed by his Brothers in the SUVCW.

 Having only met Brother Croas a few months ago, when I was going through my membership process for the SUVCW, he seemed like an upstanding gentlemen and good person. 
 As a fellow Veteran, his memory of love of country and duty to serve will remain with me.

 Very Respectfully & Sincerely,

Rob Ehrhart Jr
US Navy, Ret
 Kennesaw Camp #3 

I am Dave's little sister.  My earliest memory of Dave is when we were in Korea. I was 5 to 7 yrs old, he was 10 to 12. He gave me a ride on his bike to the Little League baseball game where he was the pitcher.  Dave could bowl nearly as well left-handed as he did right-handed.  I remember how excited we all were when he bowled his first 300 game.   (As did our little brother, Colin!)  Dave always bossed us younger siblings around, making us behave and help with chores. Dave demanded perfection from himself.  He earned high school valedictorian, but declined the honor.  He was always modest and humble. As birthday gifts, Dave usually gave me rocks.  Yes, ROCKS.  My favorites are from the mines he worked in.  He also smuggled back from Morroco and other countries fossils and pieces of pottery...shards he found half-buried in sand or in caves.  Most recently, he sent me a genuine campaign poster from 1904 when Teddy Roosevelt ran for president. Dave loved the expression "walk softly, and carry a big stick."  From an early age, Dave was an avid collector. He collected everything: stamps, coins,  baseball cards, rocks and minerals, favorite videos and books, and military medals and ribbons, especially the little rosettes common over a century ago.  He gathered documents related to our family's genealogy, dating back many hundreds of years. His favorite ancestors were the Plantagenates (King Henry II and Queen Eleanor) of 1100-1200 Old England and the ruling Stewart kings and queens  of Scotland.  Dave's experiences in Vietnam, or rather when he returned to the USA, left him deeply hurt and  embittered. We discussed the currently heard phrase "thank you for your service".  He hated hearing it. He said it was "too little too late".   It dredged up painful memories of the ugly treatment he received while in uniform.  Even so, he said he was very proud of being a veteran and was glad that service members today are hearing that phrase and receiving better treatment.  

David was a dedicated and beloved Brother in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW).   I am thankful for the time we had together over the past few years in the SUVCW and for the fellowship we shared.   May God bless your family.  

Michael Reither - SUVCW

We have known and loved your family for many years.  We have prayed many prayers for your health and peace. Praying daily for our families and for each other has kept our relationship strong, Nickie. Tom and I continue to pray that the peace that passes all understanding will reign in your hearts and heal the pain you now feel.  We love you!

So many memories of my dear cousin, Dave.  Earliest one was of him carrying his plastic “box of rocks.”  I knew not to touch them, or even go near that box.  Forward a couple of years and Dave came through Indiana in a red sports car on his way to a wedding.  He wanted directions, to Aunt Jennie’s house, so I got to ride with him.  Fast forward, and I really learned to love and appreciate him when he came to Indy a couple of times in search of info about the Croas clan.  He warned me not to shake the family tree too hard or we might find a few nuts!  Did I mention that Jeff and I appreciated and loved him?   We will certainly miss him.

Dave and I attended Tech School together, were sent to Okinawa together, sent to Vandenberg Afb together. While at Vandenberg, his family semi adopted me and made me feel like I was a true part of the family. In the fall of 1970, I was transfered to Michigan. In June 1971 Dave drove from California to Michigan to be my best man when I got married. I was only able to see him twice more in the years that have followed. He was the best friend I ever had, and can only wish that we had been able to spend more time together over the years.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

David Bruce Croas

20 juin 1949 – 5 novembre 2020

Owen Funeral Home

Montrez votre soutien

Envoyez Vos
Condoléances

Partager
L'avis De Décès

Obtenir les mises à jour

Prestations de Service