Obituary: David Neitling

He spent an active life living in several of Oregon’s small towns. From Klamath Falls to Newberg, to Rainier, to The Dalles and a few others along the way. He was an avid runner, competing in 48 marathons and two ultra-marathons. He climbed all of the major peaks in Oregon.

David is a graduate of Stayton High School and St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. He served in the U.S. Army for four years, spending most of his time in Germany. His primary career interest began when he was hired as a teller at First Interstate Bank and eventually became a loan officer. He worked for the State of Oregon Department of Energy and later in the Environmental Department, arranging financing for worthy projects.

You may have seen him over the years working on the Riverfront Trail, sealing cracks or cutting back overgrowth. He may have waved at you and said hello and stopped to ask about your life or cheer on your walk, run or bike ride. You may have seen him cleaning up tree limbs in Sorosis Park or working on the tennis courts. Maybe you met him when he was building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Or it could have been that he helped prepare your income taxes at the Senior Center. Whether you knew him or not, David had a big impact on the community of The Dalles.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Juanita (Williams) Neitling; his two children, David and Jennifer Neitling; and his three grandsons, Garrett Neitling, Kai Rifani, and Dane Rifani. He was a loving uncle to Rita, Robert, Joe, Cathy, Donald “Dee,” Joelee, Glenda, and Lynn. His parents, brother Bruce and sister Margaret pre-deceased him.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

David’s Memorial Service will be at Spencer, Libby and Powell’s Funeral Home, 1100 Kelly Ave., The Dalles, at 10 a.m. on Oct. 21. Interment will follow at Cascade Cemetery, North Bonneville, Wash.