David Myers

David Miles Myers, 95, of Denver, Colorado and formerly Portland, Oregon, passed away unexpectedly September 19, 2022 surrounded by his family. He was born in Long Beach, California, April 18, 1927 to Elizabeth Miles Myers and Norval Franklin Myers of Mt. Carroll, Illinois.

David began his lifelong career as an entrepreneur playing piano as a freshman at Princeton University, which was interrupted during WWII. He enlisted as a Navy Corpsman and performed for the wounded in the entertainment branch of the US Navy. In 1946 David entered Beloit College as a sophomore and continued his love of playing the piano in dance bands on and off campus.

While studying for his MBA at Harvard, David continued performing and had two unforgettable gigs with Abbott & Costello, and Frank Sinatra.

After graduating, David met and married the love of his life, Anne Price of Boxford, Massachusetts. Six months later he bought a radio station and they relocated to Fitchburg, Massachusetts where they began their family. After ten years, he started seeking new challenges, and sold the business.

David moved his family, after finding new opportunities, to Portland, Oregon in 1964 where he purchased a fledgling background music company.  He grew the business to include an FM station, equipment sales and leases, and created an independent background music library. The business became "The Audio Group" and expanded throughout the Northwest. He built an award winning commercial office and production building to make room for the expansion.

Hollywood cowboy Gene Autry bought the FM station in 1977 and David built a larger building nextdoor for Gene's "Golden West Broadcasting". David sold his other businesses in 1981, but kept the real estate and began the next phase of his career as a landlord and investor.

During their 45 years in Portland, David and Anne enjoyed many family boating excursions on his Chris Craft Cabin Cruiser through the San Juan Islands and the Pacific Northwest. Many wonderful memories were also made on their family trips to Hawaii, California and the East Coast. David loved to party and was famous for his yearly Mai Tai Garden Parties around the pool at his Lake Oswego home.

At age 62, he resumed taking piano lessons on his cherished concert Steinway. He enjoyed impromptu performances on cruise ships and various venues, while he and Anne traveled around the world.

In 2005 David and Anne moved to Denver, Colorado to be closer to family. Investing in small businesses, including restaurants, commercial real estate, home building and auto dealerships, became his passion and main occupation. Later he recorded and produced several CD's (Strictly Background) of his piano music.

Over the years, David and Anne’s philanthropic endeavors included decades long commitments to Astoria's Columbia River Maritime Museum and Beloit College in Wisconsin - where they were instrumental in creating the Center for Entrepreneurship program (CELEB).

David will be forever missed for his engaging smile and captivating personality, quick wit, elaborate story telling, and trademark bow ties.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Anne, his children; Elizabeth, David Jr., MaryAnne (Bob) Polich, Jane (Bob) Nettleton, Christopher (Patricia Juarez), six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

The family is holding private services. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Columbia River Maritime Museum , the CELEB Program at Beloit College in Wisconsin, or a charity of your choice.