David James Scholl, age 77, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2025, at Crestview Court Rest Home, Cedar Hill, Texas, after a long ill­ness. Dave was born on September 23, 1947, in St. Helena, California, to Francis Nicholas Scholl and Margaret Archer Scholl. He was the third oldest child of a total of 11 children. He was a resident of Desoto, Texas, since 2020, but had lived most of the rest of his life in Northern California.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Pat, stepson, Kevin Jenkins (Catherine), daughter, Marie Scholl, and son, Patrick Scholl. He is survived by his sib­lings: Nick Scholl (Marilyn), Tom Scholl (Patty), Dennis Scholl (Karen), Gerry Scholl (Sally), Paul Scholl, Gina Scholl Adams (Mike), Mary Scholl (Andre), Lorna Scholl Schroeder(Curt), Maggie Scholl Graney(Tom), and Donny Scholl (Becky). He had 26 nieces and nephews, 34 grand nieces and nephews and three step-grandchil­dren, Cooper, Owen and Luke Jenkins

Dave was a lifelong devout Catholic and an avid political conservative. After finishing grammar school at Holy Spirit Catholic School in Fairfield, he attended and graduated from Saint Vincent Ferrer High School in 1965. Even in high school his support of Conservative politicians was evidenced as he campaigned for former Senator Barry Goldwater. Dave graduated from Saint Mary’s College of California with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1969. He later (1975) published an article “Socialist Hot Dogs” with the Foundation for Economic Education where his free market entrepre­neurial foundations were explained by recalling his own resourcefulness during his 1960s years at Saint Mary’s. Into his 70s, he took pride in hearing his article was still used by some eco­nomics professors teaching college students.

Dave served in the U.S. Army in artillery and tank support roles. He was proud that his service and Veteran status helped his children with tuition for college education in the California University sys­tem. Before marriage, Dave had a number of other interesting involve­ments including nationhood for a small island in the Pacific, some time in Haiti, his Bald Mountain Grocery in Buffalo, Wyoming, and support to various political campaigns. He cherished his signed photo of Lech Walesa, his interactions with Dick Cheyney in Wyoming, and support to California Republicans like Pete Wilson and Ronald Reagan. Two of Dave’s co-authored or authored works include: Jerry Brown’s judicial leg­acy: the destruction of the California judiciary, 1982 / Louis Wm. Barnett, John M. Feliz, Dave Scholl. and Jerry Brown’s Destruction of the California Judiciary, in 2010.

Finally, back in California, Dave helped his aging and ailing father when termi­nally ill with cancer and supported his mom and younger siblings before and after marrying Pat in 1994.

He pursued his life­long love of newspapers, by publishing and edit­ing when he bought the Dixon Independent Voice in 1995. An appropriate name for his sometimes “no holds barred” edito­rial critique of local, state, and federal politics. While running his oftentimes struggling newspaper, Dave still devoted himself to St. Peter Catholic Church as well as to local Dixon char­ities and events like the annual “Lamb Town” and May Fair celebrations.

Dave overcame non-Hod­gkin’s Lymphoma in the early 2000s and later dealt with the serious conse­quences of a stroke which impaired his sense of equi­librium for the rest of his life. Upon his wife Pat earning retirement from teaching, Dave joined her in her desire to move to Texas to be close to their son Kevin and his family in theDallas area.

After an additional stroke, and a challenging bout with prostate cancer, Dave’s health declined and his dependency on others increased. His deteriorat­ing condition required years of in-home care, even­tually leading to nursing home care for the last five months of his life. While his short-term memory was very impaired, his long-term memory and ability to recall and tell terrific stories of his life experiences remained until the last days of his life. He maintained his devo­tion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Rosary, the Blessed Sacrament of Communion and to his wife and children. He joy­fully described his children Kevin, Marie, and Patrick and their amazing accom­plishments and he praised and cherished the care from his wife Pat and all her energy, dynamism and devotion to the Right to Life.

He was saddened on occasion in his final months when he would learn of the passing of dear friends from college and political campaigns. Dave will be missed by his loving and large family network, as well as others whose lives he touched. He will be fondly remembered as an unwav­ering believer in Jesus, Mary, Catholicism, the U.S. Constitution, and conserva­tive political philosophy.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 3, 2025, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1111 W. Danieldale Road, Duncanville, TX 75137. Rosary will be at 10:30 am followed by Mass at 11:00 am. A lunch reception will fol­low at the church hall, followed by interment at DFW National Cemetery at 3:15 pm.

The service will be live streamed on: https://youtube.com/live/uLNun­mrcU3Q?feature=share, for those who are not able to make it to Texas. Cards may be sent to Patricia Scholl at 231 Juniper Ridge Circle, Desoto, TX 75115. Please keep Dave and all of his family and friends in your prayers!