David Eugene Orr

Born to George and Maggie Orr on February 27, 1926 in Sandy, Oregon, David was the youngest of 5 boys: John, Leland, George, and Paul. Sadly, Leland died from diphtheria at the age of four prior to David’s birth.

David left high school just before his 17th birthday to join the U.S. Navy and Joint Forces to fight with his brothers in World War II. He served in the Pacific Ocean Theater, on the troop carrier, U.S.S. Oneida. David served in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa where the U.S. Navy came under more than 50 Kamikaze raids.

After the war, David met and married the love of his life, Julia Elizabeth Searcy in 1955. David worked as a barber in McMinnville and Portland, Oregon putting himself through college at Portland State University to become a school teacher; he later went on to earn his Master’s Degree from Azusa Pacific University. David began his teaching career at the White Pass School District in Washington State. He then moved his family to Bay Center, Washington, after accepting the position of Principal of Schools. In 1965, David and his family moved to Southern California for an opportunity to teach math and science at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, where he finished his teaching career. Soon after his retirement, David and his wife moved to Würzburg, Germany where his wife Julia was a Reading Specialist and taught in the D.O.D.’s schools. While living in Germany, they took the opportunity to travel and explore Europe until Julia’s untimely death in January 1996. David then moved back to California to be close to family.

David was an avid gardener, geologist, and hunter. He studied rocks and their formations wherever he traveled, and was an advocate for the Rock Hounds in Paso Robles, encouraging youth to take an interest in geology.

David was a master gardener and established beautiful gardens wherever he went, his latest being the residents garden at Creston Villages, his retirement community. He was known there for his huge pumpkins, tall sunflowers, delicious tomatoes, and gorgeous flowers used frequently for bouquets at the facility.

David was a devoted Christian, strong patriarch, and a dedicated, loving father and grandfather, affectionately known as ‘Grandpa’ to all. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

David is survived by his two daughters and their spouses (Elizabeth and Dale May and Marcia and Wayne Lake), his grandchildren and their spouses (Stephen and Kaitlin May, Paul May and Carrie Sanderson, Sarah and Andrew Kidd, Julieanne May, and Ku’ulei Lake), and his great-grandchildren (Cadence, Eisley, and Waverly Kidd.)

David’s services will be on Tuesday, May 2nd at 10 a.m. at the Kuehl-Nicolay Funeral Home in Paso Robles. His interment will follow on Thursday, May 4th at 1 p.m. in the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, located in Santa Nella, California.

The family requests that instead of flowers, donations be made in David’s name to Veterans of Foreign Wars. You may follow this link which will take you to the donations page https://bit.ly/VFWdonationOrr, or scan the QR code below.