Obituary for David Chalupa
David Chalupa, 76, of Bakersfield, passed away peacefully on April 10, 2022 after a brief battle with leukemia. He was born to the late Richard Chalupa and Elsie Birkeland Chalupa on April 18, 1945, in Anchorage, Alaska. When he was a toddler, his family moved to Oregon, living in Umatilla and Mill City before settling in North Portland when he was eight years old. There he attended Sitton Elementary and Roosevelt High Schools. He enjoyed playing tennis and baseball with the neighborhood kids, earning money as a paperboy and working in the strawberries. In 1968 he graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of Portland where he was a member of the tennis team and the Air Force ROTC. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force when diagnosed with a heart condition.
After college, David moved to southern California and began a career in accounting, earning his CPA license in 1973. He enjoyed the abundant sunshine in southern California which allowed him to play tennis year-round. As an audit manager on a job in City of Industry in 1976 he met Sheryl Ritchey who was working in the advertising department and within four months they were married. They lived in Venice and enjoyed the local restaurants, the turtle races at Brennan’s, the proximity to the beach, and evening games at Dodger Stadium. After their first daughter was born, they moved to Bakersfield to be closer to Sheryl’s family. David initially worked for the County of Kern before joining the Kern High School District in 1982 where he served as the Director of Fiscal Services until his retirement in 2014.
For many years he was a member of the Bakersfield Racquet Club where he enjoyed weekly games with friends. When his daughters were young, he enjoyed treating them to an open tab at the club snack bar. After his granddaughters arrived, he ordered them their own little racquets and enjoyed teaching them how to play tennis, even enrolling them in summer camp.
David would say his greatest achievements were the relationships he had with his family. He adored his three daughters, two granddaughters and son-in-law and supported them in all of their activities. At tax time or when the girls needed financial advice, they called “Business Associate Dave” and he was always there for them. He enjoyed time with his granddaughters and often treated them to upside down meals, which meant Dewar’s ice cream first followed by more grandma-approved food.
David is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sheryl Chalupa, daughters Casey Chalupa of Corona, Amy Reiland (Nathan) of Chino Hills, Courtney Chalupa of Tehachapi, and granddaughters Maya and Alice Reiland. He is also survived by his sisters Cindy Hefflinger (Bob) of Portland, Jeanette Myers (Fred) of Scappoose and Nancy Larson (Denny) of Portland, as well as the Ritchey family and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
David’s family would like to thank Dr. Shahram Naiem and the staff of Cardiology Consultants of Santa Monica for 45 years of excellent care; Dr. Timothy Kristedja and Dr. Shawn Shambaugh, his oncologists; and the professionals at Providence St. John’s Hospital and CBCC for their care. There will be a small service for immediate family members only. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the American Heart Association.
After college, David moved to southern California and began a career in accounting, earning his CPA license in 1973. He enjoyed the abundant sunshine in southern California which allowed him to play tennis year-round. As an audit manager on a job in City of Industry in 1976 he met Sheryl Ritchey who was working in the advertising department and within four months they were married. They lived in Venice and enjoyed the local restaurants, the turtle races at Brennan’s, the proximity to the beach, and evening games at Dodger Stadium. After their first daughter was born, they moved to Bakersfield to be closer to Sheryl’s family. David initially worked for the County of Kern before joining the Kern High School District in 1982 where he served as the Director of Fiscal Services until his retirement in 2014.
For many years he was a member of the Bakersfield Racquet Club where he enjoyed weekly games with friends. When his daughters were young, he enjoyed treating them to an open tab at the club snack bar. After his granddaughters arrived, he ordered them their own little racquets and enjoyed teaching them how to play tennis, even enrolling them in summer camp.
David would say his greatest achievements were the relationships he had with his family. He adored his three daughters, two granddaughters and son-in-law and supported them in all of their activities. At tax time or when the girls needed financial advice, they called “Business Associate Dave” and he was always there for them. He enjoyed time with his granddaughters and often treated them to upside down meals, which meant Dewar’s ice cream first followed by more grandma-approved food.
David is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sheryl Chalupa, daughters Casey Chalupa of Corona, Amy Reiland (Nathan) of Chino Hills, Courtney Chalupa of Tehachapi, and granddaughters Maya and Alice Reiland. He is also survived by his sisters Cindy Hefflinger (Bob) of Portland, Jeanette Myers (Fred) of Scappoose and Nancy Larson (Denny) of Portland, as well as the Ritchey family and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
David’s family would like to thank Dr. Shahram Naiem and the staff of Cardiology Consultants of Santa Monica for 45 years of excellent care; Dr. Timothy Kristedja and Dr. Shawn Shambaugh, his oncologists; and the professionals at Providence St. John’s Hospital and CBCC for their care. There will be a small service for immediate family members only. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the American Heart Association.