Posted on: Monday, April 18, 2005
Benefit to honor ailing former teacher
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
Family and friends of Dave Eldredge are staging an "Evening with Dave" on May 7 for the retired Punahou teacher and coach, who suffered a brain hemorrhage Dec. 28 in Las Vegas.
"He recognizes familiar faces but may not remember their names. Every day he asks, 'Who can I talk to, who can I phone?' He is anxious to chat, especially (with) those who were so supportive during his hospitalization.
"So this is a celebration," she said of the event. "We have had so much support from family and friends ... (and) are so grateful for all the fruit and flower baskets, meals, numerous offers to help and, most of all, prayers and concern. We are most grateful to our Heavenly Father that Dave is still with us. The doctors said it was a miracle that he pulled through."
The event will feature entertainment and heavy pupu.
5:30 p.m. May 7
Punahou School cafeteria
$25
• Fred Trotter, Eileen Lota and Miki Beamer are co-chairing the three-hour event. For tickets, call Lota at 595-4862 or Beamer at 988-2042. • Proceeds will go to the David Eldredge Scholarship Fund at Punahou. He was a member of the Punahou faculty from 1956 until his retirement in 1996. He taught science and math, and established the school's Hawaiian studies program.
He also produced and directed the school's Holoku Pageant, a Polynesian extravaganza featuring more than 300 students in Grades 1 to 12, for 32 years.
He is better known to the general public as a football, basketball and baseball coach. His relationships with his players and students have made him special to Punahou families.
"He loves kids, loves people and teaches good values — family values — when he talks," said Beamer, whose son Mike Moss played football and baseball for Eldredge at Punahou.
Eldredge suffered the brain hemorrhage in Las Vegas en route home from a Christmas visit to Utah. Valerie, the wife of his son, Boy, had given birth in Utah to the couple's fifth son on Dec. 16, Dave Eldredge's birthday. Dave Eldredge underwent surgery Dec. 31. The Eldredges returned home Jan. 29.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.
"Dave still has some minor health problems and needs more therapy with his memory and reading skills, but is physically getting stronger by the day," Jean Eldredge said of her 73-year-old husband.
Dave Eldredge
Eldredge, a 1949 Punahou graduate, lettered in football, basketball and baseball before attending Stanford University, where he played football for four years.
'An Evening with Dave'
