Obituary of David Terhune

David Terhune, a resident of Chico, passed away March 11, at Enloe Hospital after a brief but intense battle with cancer. He was born Nov. 1, 1921 in Fresno, CA. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1943. He grew up in Santa Ana before attending Berkeley, and joined the Army Air Corps and served as a cryptographer in WWII. After the war he returned to his home in Santa Ana to meet his future wife, Barbara Speed. They married and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where they raised four children. David briefly attended Stanford Law School and then embarked on a 45 year career in the insurance industry. He retired from Industrial Indemnity Insurance Company in 1984. Shortly thereafter, David and Barbara relocated their home to Chico, forsaking the Bay Area for the small town atmosphere of Chico. He enjoyed traveling and made trips with his wife and sometimes his children to Europe, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, the South Pacific, the Caribbean Islands, and Ireland. David had multiple hobbies and interests during his lifetime. Among those were golf, fishing, gourmet cooking, playing chess and dominoes, and reading and studying politics. He was an ardent student of history and literature. He briefly studied Ancient Greek and Roman History in the Masters Program of San Jose State University in the year after his retirement. In January, 2006, David was proceded in death by Barbara, his beloved wife of 59 years. Since that time he has lived a quiet life in Chico, enjoying the company of his Chico friends. He is survived by four children, Marilyn Terhune-Young of Grass Valley, Shirley June of Monument, Colorado, David Terhune of Pleasanton, and Carol Terhune of Greenbrae. He has six grandchildren, Chris Keefer, Matthew June, Jonathan June, Ryan June, and David and Taylor Terhune. A Memorial Mass will be held Friday, March 19, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Our Divine Savior, 566 E. Lassen Avenue, Chico. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the American Cancer Society , 752 Mangrove Ave., Chico, CA.