RIP to my father Dave Haberlin 1938-2017

Obituary 

David "Dave" Alvan Haberlin 

August 6, 1938 - June 18, 2017 

David "Dave" Alvan Haberlin, passed away peacefully on Father's Day, June 18, 2017, at the age of 78, in Tamalpais Valley, California surrounded by the love and comfort of his family. 

Dave was born on August 6, 1938 in San Francisco, California, to Earl and Irene Haberlin. He attended Lincoln High School and San Francisco City College where he originally studied to be an electrician, and later to be a fireman. Dave proudly served in the US Navy from 1957-1959, fulfilling a long-standing Haberlin family tradition. On March 19, 1966, he married the love of his life, Donna De Fount, whom he was married to for 51 years. Together they had three beautiful children: Heath, Heather, and Heidi. 

Dave honorably dedicated 32 years of his life to the San Francisco Fire Department, and retired as a Assistant Chief in 1998. Affectionately known as "Bubba" or "Captain Bubba" in the fire department, he was highly regarded for his dedication to the profession and his fun-loving personality. He was highly decorated for heroism during his career. His stories of his days in SFFD were unbelievable and often hilarious. His close ties with firefighters were bonds that endured throughout his lifetime and truly sustained him in the end. 

Dave cherished spending time with his family and friends, who all loved his gift for storytelling, sense of humor, kindness, humble nature, and positive outlook on life. He deeply enjoyed cooking, reading, crossword puzzles, classic cars, camping, kayaking, abalone diving, travel, but his greatest passion of all was golf. 

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Irene Haberlin, sister Jackie Zinnen and eldest daughter Dawn. He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna, son Heath, daughters Heather and Heidi, son-in-law Nick Melniczek, and grandsons Casey and Jake. Dave is also survived by his sister, Irene Radisich, half-brother Earl, and his aunt Geraldine Frohock, as well as a large extended family. 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 10 AM at Saint Monica's Church at 5920 Geary Blvd at 23rd Ave. San Francisco, CA 94121. (Free parking behind the church). 

The Life Celebration will be held Saturday, July 15, 2017 from 1 - 4 PM at the IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center at 511 Caledonia St, Sausalito, CA 94965 (Free parking at Dunphy Park). Please come celebrate Dave's life and cherish his memory with food, cocktails, music and laughter! 

In light of Dave's courageous battle with cancer, please consider donations to one of the following: Hospice By the Bay, Kaiser Hospital Oncology, the San Francisco Firefighter's Cancer Prevention Foundation. 

Published in San Francisco Chronicle on July 9, 2017.

50 comments