David Michael Chereb

David Michael Chereb

September 19, 1944 - February 04, 2022
Mission Viejo, California

David Michael Chereb

September 19, 1944 - February 04, 2022
Mission Viejo, California

Obituary

David Michael Chereb
September 19, 1944 – February 4, 2022

David Michael Chereb, a brilliant and accomplished economist, U.S. Air Force Captain, beloved husband, father, and Opa, passed away February 4, 2022, at home in Mission Viejo, California.

David was born September 19, 1944, in Port Jefferson, New York, to the late Joseph John Chereb and Helen E. Agren Chereb.  David, his twin sister, Diane, and big brother, Bill, grew up in Port Jefferson near the shores of Long Island Sound, leading to his lifelong love of nature.  He graduated from Port Jefferson High School in 1962.

In 1965, David enlisted in the Air Force. After Basic Training at Lackland AFB, he began schooling at the Air Force Electronics School. He had such high marks he was offered an appointment to the Air Force Academy. While at the Academy, he took his first course in economics and began a lifetime fascination with it.

Following his graduation from the Academy in 1970, David was assigned to Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, where he was a member of a team developing a new project, now known as the Space Shuttle. He worked in the early stages of the space program, researching the military applications of new space technology. Meanwhile, he continued his education earning a master’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, and his doctorate at the University of Southern California, both in Economics.

After leaving the Air Force in 1975, he launched his career as an Economist, specializing in market research, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

He worked for such companies as Getty Oil, Blue Circle Industries and Lafarge North America. Envisioning a software program to aid in his analysis, David pioneered ways to use computers in his economic forecasts.  He taught himself computer programming code and wrote his own software program that was hugely successful during his career. David was extremely proficient in everything related to technology and liked to keep abreast of the latest advances. He wrote scholarly articles on computers and simulation models, including: “A New Econometric Model of the U.S. Economy”; “A Simulation of Proposal Strategies”; and “Data Mining Lite” (co-authored with John Mercer).

In 1996, he founded his own successful company, The David Chereb Group Inc, which specializes in demand analysis for construction, business modeling and industry market assessments. He was a highly regarded expert witness.

His breadth of knowledge and interests were so vast that he could have intense discussions about everything from quantum physics to politics to philosophy to real estate.  David loved being outdoors, running, hiking, and camping and he loved writing poetry and short stories. He was known to challenge himself by jumping out of airplanes (something he learned in the Air Force) or running half marathons and 5Ks. He won 1st Place in his age group in the Mesa 5000, in November 1993, in Costa Mesa, CA.

Even though his specialty was forecasting, David never could have predicted how his life would change after a chance meeting with a woman at an informal backyard get-together in 1996. He caught a glimpse of another guest, Pamela Dyer, a single mother of two young daughters, and was instantly smitten. As he would soon find out, Pamela was instantly smitten with him as well.  David and Pamela were married in March 1998, in Santa Barbara. The family settled in Mission Viejo and David took to fatherhood instantly, being a dad came naturally to him. A few years later, David’s eyes welled up when Kristen, the youngest, asked if he would formally adopt her and her sister, Katie. He happily did just that and the girls adored him. He had a very loving relationship with his daughters for the rest of his life.

In 2014, David’s first granddaughter, Parker, was born and he became Opa. Fourteen months later, in 2015, his second granddaughter, Tessa, was born. Just as fatherhood came naturally to him, being Opa was his absolute joy! David would delight in seeing his granddaughters come to his office and they did so frequently. He played games with Parker and Tessa and hid toys and cookies around his office, telling the girls they were put there by “little fairies.” Nothing made him happier than hearing the girls burst into his office, brimming with excitement, begging to see if the fairies had left gifts. His grandson, Beckham, born in 2020, lit up when he saw his Opa. It was hard to tell who was more delighted when the little boy sat in his lap— him or David.

David worked until recently when the effects of a rare genetic disease made it impossible for him to continue.  His adoring wife was at his bedside when he passed, leaving his family to mourn the loss of a gentle, loving, and brilliant man who had become the beloved patriarch of their family.

In addition to his wife, Pamela (Dyer) Chereb, of Mission Viejo, he is survived by his daughters, Katherine (Katie) von Werlhof Kempff and her husband, Marcus Kempff and Kristen von Werlhof Farland and her husband, Andrew Farland; his twin sister Diane Chereb Duffy; sisters-in-law, Nancy Chereb, Susan Dyer Hale, and Mary Dyer Dore and her husband Tom Dore; father-in-law Gerald W. Dyer; brother-in-law Gerald C. (Jerry) Dyer along with his daughter, Laura and her husband Dave, and their children Alexis and Ethan, his sons, Matthew and Nick and Nick’s wife, Victoria and their children, Eliza and Lincoln; honorary son Samuel Johnson; nephews Michael Scales and Bill Scales, along with his wife, Tracy, son, Dylan and daughter, Madison; niece Samantha Chereb Bradshaw, her husband Todd Bradshaw and their children Will and Emma and grandchildren Parker Johnson, Beckham Kempff and Tessa Warner.

In addition to his parents, David was preceded in death by his brother, William J. Chereb (Bill), his mother-in-law, Lena DiGuiseppi Dyer, and his brother-in-law, Rich Duffy.

The O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills, California, handled arrangements.

On May 26, 2022, 10am, the family will hold a Mass at San Francisco Solano Catholic Church in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA followed immediately by a Celebration of David’s Life at Kristen and Andrew Farland’s home in Villa Park.

 

Memorial Service

  • Date & Time: May 26, 2022 (10:00 AM)
  • Venue: San Francisco Solano Catholic Church
  • Location: 22082 Antonio Parkway Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 - (Get Directions)
  • Phone Number: (949) 589-7767

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5 responses to David Michael Chereb

  1. It was an honor to have known such a beautiful, bright and caring man. He will be missed. My sincere condolences to his dear family and his sister Diane, my special friend. God’s speed, David!
    Maureen

  2. Bob Ipema says:

    David and I have been very close for over 40 years and have many great memories, too long to list here. We miss you David, rest in peace!

  3. John Smead says:

    I will miss you David. I so enjoyed our various breakfast and lunch get-togethers. Whenever I was asked what we talked about I could truly say anything and everything.

  4. Jerry Dyer says:

    We all miss you David. I will never forget how you helped save my life.

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