David Taraba

""I've got a story to tell you…"" was often the introduction to something important David would want to share with you. One would suppose his life was one of those stories too. David Earnest Taraba was born to John and Rose Taraba on March 29, 1921, in Ridgway, Missouri. David grew up and lived on the farm until World War II. He served in the United States Army, 128th Infantry, in New Guinea, the Southern Philippines, and Luzon. There he met a fellow Missourian, Truman Rucker. It so happens that David became Truman's Best Man, and a young school teacher, Bernadean Fleshman, was the Maid of Honor. There's a story about that: On the journey to the Kansas City wedding ceremony they all four rode in a three-seater car, with Bernadean having to embarrassingly sit on David's lap. David and Truman called each other about once a month; the last time was last month. The rest of the story begins here. David and Bernadean were married August 10, 1947. David farmed in Diamond, Missouri, and It was then David was baptized. After LaNae was born, David and Bernadean purchased a farm near Lucerne, Missouri. Three years later their youngest daughter, Gala, was born. David farmed and raised dairy cattle, and drove the local milk truck delivering milk to the creamery. On the farm, David and Gala would often head out to check on livestock in his old Chevy pickup. At some moment along the way, David would break into song – usually some favorite tune sung in church. The one Gala particularly remembers is ""When We All Get to Heaven."" It was sung loudly, a little off key but always from the heart. David and Bernadean were active in the Lucerne Christian Church and the American Legion, serving as President and as a member of an All-Veterans Honor Guard. He enjoyed fishing, raccoon hunting with his hound dogs, especially Jack. David farmed until 1962, when the family moved to Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. He was a dedicated church member, and was on the board of the church's Christian camp at Como (Camp Como) during its early years. In 1966, David and his family moved to LaJunta, Colorado where he worked for Otero Junior College and Colorado Boys Ranch. With the Arkansas River nearby, he could once again go raccoon hunting. He loved the sound of the dogs baying when they were on the hunt, and even recorded their sounds to replay again and again. His hunting buddy, Prentiss Burton, still sends him the 'real' molasses from Mississippi. The Tarabas were some of the original families forming the LaJunta Christian Church. He was chapter commander of the DAV from 1980-1981 and transported veterans to Ft. Lyons Medical Facility, visiting the sick and struggling veterans. David and Bernadean retired in Pueblo, Colorado in 1979. Retirement brought opportunities to grow really big carrots and pulverize horseradish until your eyes would burn no matter what room of the house you were in. David and Bernadean traveled to Israel; they took in the shows at Branson, Missouri. They used their motorhome to go camping, and camping with the grandkids meant fishing. David's pride was teaching his four grandchildren how to fish. Just 24 hours before his death, he was recalling a story about one of Chris' first fish, a tiny carp. David and Bernadean and Chris probably had one bite each, if that! Robert and Chris remember Granddad as always being calm, and never being angry (Gala and LaNae don't necessarily have this memory). The grandkids knew him as someone who was never proud or prideful, but he was also never unsure of himself. For example, Granddad's patience in preparing the hook, never in a hurry to fish, and not getting frustrated… A good trait for a fisher of men, too. As an elder at the Pueblo 29th and High Street Christian Church and chaplain of the VFW chapter, he ministered to people in the hospital, collected truckloads of potatoes for the mission, and again was an All-Veterans Honor Guard for funerals. In 1996, David and Bernadean's life changed drastically. Bernadean had a severe stroke, and David took on the role of a primary caregiver. He saw to her needs, serving her, learning to cook, under her watchful eye. It was then he perfected his cornbread and beans. He would say, ""You know you could put on the beans at night, and they'd be ready for breakfast.' He'd chuckle about the song ""Beans for Breakfast"", and often did have them for breakfast and lunch, and even brought them to a potluck at church. Rachel especially liked Granddad's 'Beans with Bones'. In 2007, the Tarabas moved to Thornton, CO, to live at Villas at Sunny Acres. They became members of Northglenn Christian Church. They also participated in the Bible studies, prayer meetings, and vespers held at Sunny Acres. Each day David and Bernadean had their own Bible study, listening to tapes of the Bible. David would advise his grandkids ""Don't take any wooden nickels"", and Brittney would respond, ""Okay, Grandpa."" As caring for Bernadean became more difficult, David would say, ""You know, I said 55 years ago, (or 66 years ago now) I promised to love her in sickness and health, for better or for worse"". And that is just what he did. You had better not forget to take proper care of Bernadean or you would be in big trouble with him. Villas staff have often witnessed them holding hands, him kissing her when he would leave for appointments, calling her his bride or comment about how pretty and white her hair was. He would say that she was so pretty he could just whistle at her. Even two days before he died, he made sure to blow Bernadean a kiss, and she blew him a kiss as he left to go to the hospital. Chris said his dedication to Grandma was an example of his steadfast integrity, a story worth repeating. David was preceded in death by his parents, Rose and John Taraba, his brother George and his sister Christina, and nephews Johnny Horton and Larry Taraba. David is survived by his wife, Bernadean, daughters LaNae West (Virgil West) of Erie, Colorado; Gala Compton (Tim Compton) of Littleton, CO; grandchildren Chris West (Martha) of Mt. Pleasant, WI; Robert West, of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Brittney Compton, Denver, CO, Rachel Compton, Littleton, CO, and three great grandchildren, Nora, Wyatt and Eliza West and nephews Douglas Hernandez, Terry Taraba, and nieces Louise Taraba, Lavon Hart, and Annetta Hamlin, his brother-in-law, Leonard Fuenfhausen, and his family at Villas at Sunny Acres, and Northglenn Christian church family. We'd cherish your stories too. David passed away on May 7, 2014. Funeral Service is Monday, May 12, 2014 at 10:00a.m. at Northglenn Christian Church, 1800 E. 105th Place in Northglenn. Interment will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery on Monday, May 12 at 2:15p.m., Staging Area C. Please share your memories of David and condolences with his family by signing the online guestbook.