BOMBER MEMORIAL

DAVID JOSEPH "DAVE" LETTAU ~ Class of 1972
July 29, 1954 - September 5, 2020



David Joseph "Dave" Lettau was born on May 19, 1954 in Lynwood, CA.

Dave graduated with the Class of 1972 from Richland's Columbia High School.

His siblings are Ralph and Randy Lettau ('73), Jeff Lettau ('80) and Christine Lettau ('84).

He married Linda Armstrong on December 10, 1977 in Kennewick. To this union their son, Matt, was born.

Dave passed away at the age of 66 from cancer on September 5, 2020 in Horseshoe Bend, AR.

Written by Randy Lettau:

"David was a genius at fixing anything, but especially if it was connected by wires! Lightening and thunder storms can do strange things and it was after this kind of event that I seriously considered getting a surge protector for all our electronic appliances in the house. Our town is nestled up against the Western Cascade Mountain range of Washington State where electric thunder storms are common. After one of these events our microwave oven ceased working. We were very disappointed because we used it all the time! We just figured it had lived a good life and was ready for the great scrap heap that all dead appliances go to. But on the next visit by David and Linda we learned otherwise. It only took him seconds to have that thing apart and after a brief investigation he says to me "See that capacitor right there? Well it is not supposed to be in two pieces! Your last electric storm caused a surge of electricity to come backwards up the power line and boom, that is what happens!" He didn't have the part with him but he did on his next visit and after a quick solder job of the new part, the microwave had a new life. We are the same way, but that new resistor for us is Jesus Christ! David had Jesus Christ and because of that, he is only temporarily gone from us believers, for we shall meet him again in heaven! Love you David!"

Written by Matt Lettau:

The Garage: Not long after moving into their Richland house, David built a garage. There are many good memories from the construction of that garage, and here are just a few from my perspective. I don't even remember what year, but I would guess early 80s. \ --(1)-- I would have been maybe 10. With a family full of carpenters there was lots of help. They found lots of good jobs for a 10 year old to do. I did a lot of hammering nails and such. David had me use a hammer where the other end was an axe. His theory being that I would learn quickly to be very respectful of the tool and not make mistakes. Guess it worked. --(2)-- Before laying the concrete for the garage floor, there was some requirement to pack the soil to a certain pressure. Most people rent some equipment to do this. David instead calculated that if all of us guys wore boots or heeled shoes, and walked around on the heels, it would be the right pressure. So we compressed all that soil by doing that... --(3)-- The earth moved for the foundation and leveling and such was dumped in a pile in the yard behind the garage. It was left there forever, and the kids loved playing in it in their younger years. David always joked that the pile got a little smaller each year, because it was coming in the house in their jeans and shirts and being flushed through the washing machine. --(4)-- David knew all the loopholes. He knew he didn't have to get an electrical inspection if the garage wasn't permanently wired. So the feed to the garage was a heavy duty extension cord... --(5)-- I'm sure there are many more, those are the ones that stick out from that building experience from the memory of a 10 year old.

Written by Matt Lettau:

"In the summer of 1990, a just out of high school boy (me) somehow convinced David to help him rebuild the engine of my car. David had rebuilt many engines over the years and had all of the tools and such. My car probably didn't really need a rebuild and he knew it. But he agreed. He spent countless of his evenings and weekends showing me what to do and letting me do it. I learned so much about tools and mechanics and cars and life. And when we realized too late that the rings we were sold were not quite right for that car, we rebuilt it again. (second time went much faster, and I was able to do most of it myself). He knew the value of time invested in people and loved to teach and share his knowledge and I'm forever grateful."

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).