David Bruce Muniain, Spanish Basque, 72 years of age, joined the lord April 21, 2017 at 1:50 p.m. He passed peacefully with his friends and family around him, in his home in Seaside, CA. A home that he purchased 47 years ago.
He was born on July 12, 1944, at Oakdale Hospital, and was the youngest of five siblings. He was raised in a historical town called Knights Ferry, population 100, where he loved swimming, fishing, rock skipping and frog gigging. David went to a two room schoolhouse from first through eighth grade. Most people that knew him, knew he was quite the sportsman. They probably didn’t know that he held the Yo-Yo championship title five years in a row, from 1954-58. David went to Oakdale High School from 1958-62; during that time he lettered all four years in both basketball and tennis, winning several championship awards in both. He was also the athletic commissioner, on the judicial committee, on the honor roll, key club and student council all four years. He also really enjoyed playing trumpet in the high school jazz band. He still holds the Oakdale High school record in basketball for the most consecutive free throws, “36”, in 1961-62, which may have been the National record then.
After graduation in 1962, Dean Woods offered Dave a job at Cypress Bowl. Dave moved to Monterey where he worked for the next seven years. During this time he joined the PBA Bowling tour and in January 1969 bowled his first 300 game at the old Showboat in Las Vegas while bowling against Hall of Famer, Don Carter. He has bowled a total of five sanctioned 300 games. Dave was inducted in the Monterey Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1977-78 for his bowling abilities. In 1980 he married his wife and best friend, Patty DeCastro Muniain in Acapulco, Mexico. Along with their family and Bob Cowdrey who stood beside him as his Best Man, who is still his Best Friend. He worked and became the managing golf professional at Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Pebble Beach from 1974-1982. In 1985 Patty and Dave purchased a commercial center in southern California. Dave was a jack of many trades, from tending bar to selling cars. He was the superintendent for the construction of a two story medical building in Santa Ana. In 1998 he was given an invitation letter to start the process to become a member of the International Longshoreman and Warehousemen’s Union, Local #13. He became a registered Longshoreman in 2002 which he did until 2015, when he retired.
Dave loved to read and tell stories. He also loved taking his grandsons fishing on his houseboat and Marlin fishing in Cabo with the Muniain clan. Dave and his wife had so many laughs and great memories with their dearest friends Billie and Roni Williams while playing pinochle. Dave was Best Man in their wedding over 50 years ago. Together Dave and Patty have enjoyed Jazz around the world and have been sitting in the same seats at the Monterey Jazz Festival, surrounded by their friends, for over 40 years. David is predeceased by his parents Albert and Felicia Muniain and niece Toni Muniain. He is survived by his wife Patty, daughter and son-in-law Krysti and Brian Dryer, four grandchildren: Janelle, Justin, David and Brian Dryer. His four siblings: Eunice Gire of Washington, Dick Muniain of Knights Ferry, Raymond Muniain of Turlock and Janice Bender of Oakdale.
Service will be held Saturday, April 29 at 10:30 a.m. at the Oak Grove Cemetery followed by a Reception/Celebration of Life at the Rivers Edge Restaurant, both in Knights Ferry.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations made to the Knights Ferry History & Museum Association. 17631 Sonora Road (Main St), Knights Ferry, California 95361.
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The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
April 26, 2017