Remembering Rev. David Alan Hrachovina, 1952-2020

The Rev. David A. Hrachovina is being remembered by family and friends, who are sharing this:

The Rev. David Alan Hrachovina
June 10, 1952-Nov. 20, 2020

The Rev. David Alan Hrachovina was born in Seattle at the old Maynard Hospital on June 10, 1952, to Don and June Hrachovina.

He was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, further instructed and confirmed by the many words of Scripture in the Faith of Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins.

In his youth David enjoyed Seattle to its fullest, riding the elephants at Woodland Park Zoo; hunting for pollywogs in Webster’s Swamp; looking down from Fauntleroy at the fog-filled Puget Sound and hearing the foghorn’s lonely lament; walking along the windswept bulkheads and driftwood-jumbled beaches at Lincoln Park and Alki Beach against the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound and working at Spud Fish & Chips on Alki.

David attended Hope Lutheran Parochial School in West Seattle through eighth grade, following with a year at Denny Junior High and four more at Chief Sealth High. After studying at Concordia Jr. College in Portland, Oregon, and then Concordia Sr. College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, he attended Concordia Theological Seminary during its years of transition from Springfield, Illinois, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Following graduation, David was ordained at Hope Lutheran Church in Seattle and installed as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Parma, Idaho) and Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church (Homedale, Idaho). Four-and-a-half years later, he accepted a call to serve at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Boise, Idaho, where he remained from 1983 to 2010.

In 1982, David began correspondence with Doris Denninger, a third-grade teacher in Elmhurst, Illinois, and married his “mail-order bride” in August 1983. They were married for 17 years until Doris succumbed after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2001. Upon retiring due to worsening health, David returned to Seattle, where he lived until his death.

Starting in 2013, he was a supporter of and volunteered as a docent for the Log House Museum of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

He was known for his Chinook Jargon greeting to visitors: “Kla-HOW-ya!” His final residence was The Kenney.

Besides his parents and wife, David was preceded in death by a sister, Janet Carol Hrachovina. With these and all the saints who have gone before us, he lives in Christ and the eager anticipation of the resurrection on the Last Day. David is survived by his sister, Kathy Marie Peycke, who lives with her family in south Seattle.

Memorials (in lieu of flowers) may be made to the Janet Carol Hrachovina Charitable Trust and/or Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Boise, Idaho. A memorial service was held Dec. 3, 2020, at Good Shepherd LCMS, (Orchard and Cassia) in Boise, Idaho. A private graveside committal took place at Dry Creek Cemetery.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

2 Replies to "Remembering Rev. David Alan Hrachovina, 1952-2020"

  • Clay Eals January 11, 2021 (11:46 am)

    Dave was a major supporter of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society during my time as executive director from 2013 to 2017, but he was so much more. To many newcomers walking through the door of the Log House Museum, he was the face of the organization. I admired his ability to speak on his feet, to articulate complicated topics, to dig deeply into the books and other records surrounding the Seattle birthplace story and, with a gleam in his eye, to engage in wordplay at a moment’s notice. He was the ideal docent and a genuinely kind soul. He was unfailingly upbeat during tough health challenges. He was a good friend, and I am grateful to have shared some of this life with him.

    • Michael January 11, 2021 (1:18 pm)

      As noted by Clay, Dave was a beloved member of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society community who left an indelible imprint on the organization. He is deeply missed by everyone at the Historical Society and we are grateful for the knowledge and passion he shared with us. For anyone who might be interested in learning more about Dave’s deep interest in and knowledge of our local history, the Historical Society has posted a pair of videos featuring Dave, which are located here: https://www.loghousemuseum.org/blog/in-memoriam-dave-hrachovina/

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