David Arthur Pittelkau

David Arthur Pittelkau January 30, 1934 – July 26, 2026

David Arthur Pittelkau passed away on Sunday, July 26, 2026. He was 92.

David was born on January 30, 1934, in Portland, Oregon. He eventually made his way to Ukiah, California, where he met Roselyn Lucchesi on a blind date. They married on May 24, 1964, the start of a marriage that would last the rest of his life. David kept a note with her details from that very first date, along with her picture, in his wallet until the day he passed.

David served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a Radio Repairman, where his resourcefulness was already on full display — he once fashioned a working defibrillator out of spare parts. He was honorably discharged and received the Korean Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the ROK Presidential Unit Citation.

After moving to Ukiah, David found his true calling as a gunsmith, running a full-service gunsmithing shop out of his home garage. He didn't just clean and repair firearms — he fabricated spare parts for vintage rifles and took on commission work to build entire rifles from scratch, turning barrels on his lathe, machining parts on his mill, and shaping blocks of walnut burl into beautiful gun stocks. Among local gun aficionados, he was regarded as an artist.

David was an active outdoorsman who loved camping, hiking, long-distance running, and cycling, and he was never happier than when out on his Harley. He and Roselyn spent many happy weekends camping along the Big River and Hat Creek, and took countless family trips to Ten Mile Beach with their children. Sunday dinners with Rosie's parents, Armando and Yolanda Lucchesi, were a cherished tradition. But more than anything, David loved being a grandfather — he took great joy in watching his three granddaughters grow, as he liked to say, from "blank slates" into wonderful girls and confident young women.

For decades, David faced myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with quiet strength, rarely letting it slow him down. MDS was ultimately the cause of his passing.

David is survived by his wife, Roselyn Pittelkau; his brother, Harlan Pittelkau; his children, Jeff Pittelkau and Julie Vance; and his grandchildren, Madison Vance, Hailey Vance, and Isabella Vance-Simental.

A public viewing will be held Wednesday, August 5, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at Eversole Mortuary, where friends are welcome to stop by and say their final goodbyes. Following the viewing, David will be laid to rest in a private family burial at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, per his wishes.

Friends and family are also welcome to visit and offer condolences to his wife, Roselyn, at Ukiah Post Acute.

The family will announce a celebration of life for David at a later date. Those interested may email celebration@pittelkau.com for more information.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Foundation in David's memory, at www.mds-foundation.org/donate or by mail to The MDS Foundation, 228 Park Ave S, PMB 118983, New York, NY 10003-1502. They can also be reached at 1-800-637-0839.