David & Karen Van Egdon

David’s Story

David John Van Egdon was born on October 18, 1947 in Bellingham, Washington to Gerrit and Marcelle Van Egdon.  He was raised in Azusa, California with his siblings Gregory, Arlene, Rosemary and Bernice.

After graduating from Azusa High School in 1965, David attended Citrus College and studied automotive mechanics. He was drafted into the US Army in 1967 and spent a year and a half in Germany.  David achieved the rank of sergeant and earned a National Defense Service Medal, an Army of Occupation Medal (Berlin), a Good Conduct Medal and a Combat Infantry Badge.  David earned acknowledgment as a sharpshooter (MG and Pistol) as well as recognition as an expert rifleman.

As an avid automotive enthusiast, David as a young teen found a passion for working on cars. David’s work history centered on cars in one way shape or form.  He taught automotive repair classes at Citrus Community College, worked as a mechanic, spent time working for the State of California in fleet services and worked for AAA as a Smog Technician.  David was also a member of the Ford Consumer Appeals Board.

David became a dad to Lisa in 1971 and Jason in 1973.  David loved to go boating and waterskiing which became fun family past times.  David loved sports, not only watching them as a spectator but participating as well.  He coached baseball and softball for his children’s teams and he played on a co-ed volleyball team.  He loved watching NASCAR, baseball and football, and enjoyed spending time with his family and doted on his grandchildren. He enjoyed camping and fishing and was always ready to share a story.

David was soft-spoken but left a lasting impression on those around him.  He was deeply loved by his family. He was a wonderful dad, uncle, grandpa and papa and will be missed by all.

David passed away on October 19, 2021 at the age of 74.

Karen’s Story

Karen Marie Van Egdon was born on April 11, 1948 to Leo and Leota Zamastil in Sacramento, California.  Karen was a long-time resident of Rio Linda, California where she lived with her parents and younger brother Paul.  She graduated from Rio Linda High School in 1966.

Karen became a mom to Greg in 1976 and fell into an easy stride as a loving, devoted mother.  Karen was an avid runner for many years which added to her enjoyment of the outdoors.

Karen was a long time state worker and held positions at the Department of Justice, the Department of Water Resources and the California Energy Commission.  She retired in 2007 after 34 years of dedicated service.

Karen was invested in her community and was an enthusiastic volunteer for organizations like Blood Source and she even lead the Community Emergency response team for the California Energy Commission.  She made many wonderful friends and often enjoyed getaways with friends to visit the coast or take a cruise.  She had a knack for crafting and made porcelain dolls, ceramics, knitting and she even got into beading and jewelry making. 

Karen was a loving wife, irreplaceable mother and the best grandma anyone could ask for. She adored her grandchildren, she loved attending their activities and watching them grow. She was kind, generous and helpful. She could start a conversation with anyone, anywhere about anything. She will be tremendously missed by her friends and family.

Karen passed away on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at the age of 73.

Dave and Karen’s Story

Dave (David) and Karen met in Sacramento while living in the same neighborhood.  They began dating and found that their mutual commitment to family and lifelong happiness brought them closer together.  They were married on April 19, 1986, blending their families, and they celebrated their 35^th wedding anniversary in 2021. 

They loved to go camping and over the years they traded in rugged tent camping in favor of camping with their RV.  Their favorite camping spot was on the California coast and they could often be found at Bodega Bay or Pismo Beach.  They became members of the Gold Panners RV club and enjoyed monthly campouts.  They made wonderful friends and a lot of memories in that group over the years.  Their children even got involved in some of campouts and have created traditions based on Dave and Karen’s love of the beach and RV’ing.  They both enjoyed fishing and loved going to the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn. 

Dave and Karen loved spending time with their children and grandchildren.  They attended sporting and school events every chance they got.  They enjoyed taking cruises and road trips as well as travelling with the grandkids to places like the Living Desert, Disneyland, Leogland and Sea World.

Retirement brought opportunities to enjoy more of the things they loved doing.  They had more opportunities to travel, whether it be by RV, car, plane or boat.  Karen continued to meet her girlfriends for lunch and different getaways as well as meet for weekly beading sessions.  Dave got into swimming and boxing.  They were able to plant and work in their garden, they enjoyed growing tomatoes, onions, cilantro, artichokes and strawberries.

Dave was quiet and reserved, Karen was more socially outgoing but they balanced each other well and set an example of love and family for their children and grandchildren.  Their passing leaves an ache, but even with the sadness they’ve left a lifetime of memories and love to reflect on.