David G. Carlo

Dr. David G. Carlo, age 92, of Portland, Oregon passed away peacefully on June 30, 2024. He was born on June 3, 1932 to Donato J. and Margaret Noce Carlo, and adored his older sister Marion. Dave’s parents were immigrants from Italy and Dave loved and embraced his Italian heritage.

He was a devout Catholic and his faith was an integral part of who he was and how he treated other people. He was most known as a man who loved others.

Dave’s father loved the Oregon Ducks football team, and took him to Duck football games starting when he was 5 years old. Thus began his lifelong love affair with the Ducks. He didn’t miss a home game for 53 years until his daughter’s wedding. Dave remains the longest season ticket holder in Oregon football history. He was featured on the Jumbotron at Autzen Stadium in 2017 as he celebrated his 80th year of Oregon football.

Dave attended the University of Portland and received his Doctorate of Optometry from Pacific University in 1956. He practiced optometry for 36 years, and was cherished by his patients and the optometry students he mentored at Pacific University. 

He met Ann Warner at Pacific and they married in 1958. They had two daughters, Lynn and Mimi. He was the most devoted father until the day he died. He was the most extraordinary grandfather and enjoyed special relationships with each of his grandchildren.

Dave lived a very active lifestyle. He loved his family, friends, fishing, golfing, riding his motorcycle, flying his private plane, and his beautiful beach house on the Northern Oregon coast. He enjoyed traveling to Europe, specifically the French Riviera, which he visited many times and often with his daughters. Dave served as president of the Kiwanis Club in Portland. He rode his bicycle well into his 80s, often on an 18 mile loop along the Sandy River. Dave was an early jogger in the 1960s and introduced his daughters to a world of running and sports. 

He touched the lives of many children and their families through his years of volunteering at Riverdale Grade School, Jesuit High School and Lake Oswego High School. He was known to all the children and their families as Boompa. One of the great honors of his life was the creation of the Boompa Award at Riverdale Grade School for the Volunteer of the Year, which continues in his honor to this day, and Riverdale gifted him with his own private parking spot marked “Boompa”.

Dr. Carlo is survived by his daughters Lynn Lunde and Mimi McCaslin, his son-in-law Bob Lunde, and grandchildren Jenny and Mimi Lunde, and David and Johnny McCaslin, his nieces Jeanette (Jim) and Denise (Pat), and his Italian relatives. He was a lover of life, and people. If he knew you, he loved you.

His funeral mass will be held at Saint Thomas More in Portland, Oregon on July 16th at 11 am, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Racquet Club on Highland Road in SW Portland. Graveside services will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Portland at 2:30 pm. Gethsemani Funeral Home in Happy Valley is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Riverdale School Foundation at riverdalefoundation.org, or be mailed to PO Box 36, Lake Oswego, OR 97034.