David Wayne Hulbert was born in Seattle Washington 1/29/1955 and passed away 7/3/26 in Eureka Ca after a short illness. He was the oldest of three children.
Dave moved frequently as a child due to his father’s employment with Boeing. In the ’60s his family ran Brooks Lake Lodge in Wyoming. He learned a love of horses there, and was happy our neighbors have horses he could visit with.
After selling the ranch his family moved to Juneau Alaska. He attended Juneau Douglas High, even after moving out on his own to live in a tent. After graduation he worked at various restaurants, participated in Civil Air Patrol, drove cab, and eventually joined Gospel Outreach, working in their Bread of Life Bakery.
In the ’70s he moved to Oakland, working at the zoo, Joaquin Miller Park, and various construction jobs. He made friends with Hells Angels, helping work on their bikes. It was here he had a motorcycle accident rupturing his spleen, getting blood transfusions that led to his getting HEP C. While completing the Harvoni treatment cured his Hep C, the damage was done to his liver, leading to his cancer diagnosis last December.
In the early ’80s Dave moved to Eureka to get involved once again with Gospel Outreach. He had a lawn maintenance service, and worked at various restaurants in the area, along with jobs in construction. His good friend Ruven Moore put him up in a converted garden shed.
During this time a felony car accident led him to mandatory AA meetings. He had many friends in the AA community, and recently celebrated 32 years of sobriety.
In April 1984 He met his wife Colleen at Don’s Donuts at 2 a.m. while she was studying for mid-terms. He offered to make her spaghetti, and they went back to his place where he introduced her to his rescue Teddy Bear Pooky. They married in 1988.
Dave worked at The Fireside Restaurant, and Radio Shack, helping install the new Bayshore Mall Radio Shack. When he injured his knee helping a friend paint their art gallery, he was able to get assistance through Department of Rehab to go to CR and get his electronics certificate.
This led to his getting hired at Wiltron in Morgan Hill, and later Teledyne in Hollister, where he tested components for seat ejection systems. His children Heather and David the 5th were born in Hollister. After defense industry cutbacks eliminated his job, they decided to move back to Eureka, where Colleen could transfer from Monterey County to Humboldt County.
Dave was a “stay at home” dad, enjoying taking the kids to the library, and doing school and day care drop offs. He also worked for the Fortuna Theater, showing movies on the old-fashioned carbon arc projectors.
In 2000 Dave started working for the Tarr family business doing stock market research. He did this until his numerous disabilities made it impossible for him to continue.
Dave had many interests. He enjoyed learning Japanese and Chinese, studying the different writing forms. He and son David took a once in a lifetime trip to China and Japan in 2018. He also was learning Hebrew, in part to honor his friend Ruven. Dave played guitar and flute, and enjoyed studying history.
In the last several years Dave was called to return to the Church, and he found a home at Fieldbrook Community Church. He enjoyed helping with summer programs, singing in the choir, and attending Men’s Bible Study.
Dave is survived by Colleen, his wife of 38 years, children Heather (Patrick) and David the 5th, his Aunt Susie in Arizona, and numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be two services. 11 a.m. Saturday 8/29/26 at Dow’s Prairie Grange, and 2 p.m. Sunday 8/30/26 at Fieldbrook Community Church, 4103 Fieldbrook Road. Potluck and fellowship to follow each service.