JP David

John Prabhakar David, a faithful husband, father, and “Thatha” (grandfather) passed away on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at the age of 82, after a two-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

 “JP”, as he was affectionately known, is survived by his devoted wife, Bali, his children, Priya (Alex Clemens) and Rabi (Hannah), and his four cherished grandchildren, Casey, Benjy, Pearce, and Roxxy. JP is also survived by his two sisters, Nirmala (Josi Hillary) and Hemala (Jayaseelan Kasi), as well as many other extended family members. He is predeceased by his brothers Rabindra and Jaya (Sheila) and his parents, Rupert and Chandra. 

JP was born in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, India, the second of five children in 1941. His father was an upright police officer whose unwillingness to take a bribe resulted in him being transferred to multiple jurisdictions, causing JP to attend as many as 17 different schools. Following high school, JP enrolled in the Guindy College of Engineering in Chennai, and was unanimously elected as the General Secretary of the Student body council in an unprecedented move, bridging two different student groups with his winsome manner.  After receiving his degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963, JP stayed in Chennai, teaching at a Polytechnic Institute and later working at Hindustan Teleprinters in a management position over hundreds of employees.

In 1967, JP immigrated to America and lived in Alexandria, Virginia with his sister, Nirmala, and her family. There, he got jobs pumping gas and inserting ads in the Washington Post while learning computer languages at the Computer Learning Center. Then, he landed a job at Mitre Corporation as a Computer Programmer in McLean, Virginia. While at Mitre, JP earned his Master’s Degree in Computer Science at Virginia Tech.

While returning to India for a Christmas visit in 1971, JP met and then married his bride Bali Rajaratnam, after only getting to know each other for a few days. While this arrangement may sound startling to many westerners, it was a beautiful match between two families who had been praying for God’s will and plan for their lives.

The Davids lived in Reston, Virginia for several years before welcoming their daughter, Priya in 1974 and son, Rabi in 1977. They then moved to Yorba Linda, California, where JP took up a new position at Hughes Aircraft Company (later Raytheon). In 1983, Hughes transferred JP to Brussels, Belgium, where the David family would spend the next 15 years (including a two-year stint in London). During this time, JP was part of the design team in developing the Airborne Early Warning and Control Radar System (AWACS) in alliance with NATO, which was integrated onto the Air Force's E-3 Sentry airplane.

During his “retirement” years, JP continued to remain active, and began a second career as a real estate agent for Prudential and Berkshire Hathaway. He enjoyed helping countless friends and family members throughout the years, to create the American dream that he himself lived out. 

JP loved entertaining, golfing, traveling, skiing, and spending time with his wife and children. In college, JP was a pole vault champion and field hockey captain. He continued his athletic interests later in life by playing tennis regularly and running the Brussels 20K for multiple years. But golf was his true passion. He was always on the links, tinkering with his swing and becoming a consummate student of the game he loved–at home and on the course. He was a diehard fan of the Washington Commanders (neé Redskins), the Anaheim Angels, and the Los Angeles Lakers, a comically unfortunate legacy (for two of the three) that he passed along to both his son and grandson.

In 1956, JP accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior after he attended a Billy Graham crusade in Chennai.  Spurred by his strong faith, JP was always a devoted member of the local church in every place he called home. He also served in Gideon’s International, Coaches of Influence (“COIN”), Living Well Ministries, prayer for the nations, and he and Bali supported multiple charitable causes in India. JP’s devotion to the body of Christ was evident to anyone who met him. He was genuinely interested in caring for people. 

Bali and JP moved to Roseville in 2021 to be closer to their grandchildren, while enjoying living on a beautiful golf course, which was always JP’s dream. He was loved by so many and has left an incredible legacy of generosity and servanthood. His jovial and light-hearted spirit will be deeply missed by his friends, family, and all who knew him. We take comfort in knowing that he is celebrating in the presence of Jesus right now. 

Visitation is scheduled at Heritage Oaks Memorial Chapel in Roseville, CA from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on October 4, 2024, and from 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. on October 5. A graveside service will be held on October 5, at the Roseville Cemetery at 10:00 am, with a memorial service to follow at Bayside Adventure Church in Rocklin, CA at 11:00 am. A luncheon reception and open sharing time will follow. All are invited to attend. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in JP's honor to one of the following charities: Coin Coaches of Influence and Living Well Pregnancy Centers.