Join us to share stories as we celebrate the life of Cal Dauncey. Cal touched many lives and will be forever missed. He left behind many friends and friends who were family. We will forever miss his humor and friendship.
Please share your memories, photos and videos of Cal.
OBITUARY
About 20 years ago Cal was on a bike tour with friends and enjoyed it so much he decided he needed a longer break from his high stress job. So he cashed in some stock, paid off his mortgage and started his one-year sabatical. Some 20 years later he was still on that "one-year" sabatical.He seemed to know just about everyone in Kirkland, especially if they road bicycles or hung out at coffee shops - or were female. His sense of humor... see moreAbout 20 years ago Cal was on a bike tour with friends and enjoyed it so much he decided he needed a longer break from his high stress job. So he cashed in some stock, paid off his mortgage and started his one-year sabatical. Some 20 years later he was still on that "one-year" sabatical.
He seemed to know just about everyone in Kirkland, especially if they road bicycles or hung out at coffee shops - or were female.
His sense of humor was legendary. Nobody was immune to his witty insults and his favorite target was himself. He loved living in the Cal-Zone where at least 50% of every day or every bike ride had to be spent visiting with friends or strangers over coffee, wine, flatbread or croissants.
He rarely ever used his phone for talking, but was famous for his lengthy text messages. He shared his musings of everything from scathing assessments of the charactors on the Bachelor, to play-by-plays of neighboring diners who he always assumed were on a Match.com-date-gone-wrong.
Some of us were lucky enough to hear Cal play piano. And thank goodness we got to hear the piano-playing to make up for those excruciatingly detailed conversations about the bicycles he would build and fix. To him every bike worth touching was a both a mechanical masterpiece and a work of art.
Cal was a dedicated son who cared for his ailing mother for many years even after she no longer knew who he was. He would shop for purses and even bras and underwear for her. (The texts he sent about the bra shopping were especially entertaining.) He also entertained her friends with his piano playing. He joked that it was a great gig because you only needed to know 2 songs. By the time you finished one song they all had forgotten the other songs you had played. And they were all just as elated the 10th time he played their favorites as they were the first time he played it.
His mother passed earlier this year leaving Cal with no official family. His friends were his surrogate family. And we will always treasure the memories of his zest for life and our time spent with him in the Cal-Zone.
I was very fortunate to study and practice music with Cal. We were introduced by Jerome Gray, our mutual Jazz coach, back in 1993.
I would take my upright bass to Cal's house in Kirkland where he and I would practice standards for hours while trying to... moreI was very fortunate to study and practice music with Cal. We were introduced by Jerome Gray, our mutual Jazz coach, back in 1993.
I would take my upright bass to Cal's house in Kirkland where he and I would practice standards for hours while trying to navigate the challenges of learning to play the greatest of all music.
Cal was very fortunate to be able to afford really great musical gear. He had a Steinway Grand and a Kurzweil PC88 piano. The Steinway lived in what would have been the formal dining room of his house, which had a vaulted ceiling and was carpeted, so the sound was really great!
It's extremely rare for anyone over about 16 years of age to achieve much by way of Jazz chops. Cal was the exception to this rule. As we say in the Jazz world, Cal had "EARS". Just as important, he practiced smart and hard and he played because he loved great music.
Many people with a bit of money buy fancy instruments and try to learn. Few get anywhere. Again the exception; Cal made the most of his good fortune and became a competent performer.
There are many comments about Cal's wit, and rightfully so. I loved his dry, direct, honest humor.
Unfortunately Cal and I lost touch in the late 90's. Searching for his social media, I found this page.
I'm heartbroken. He was too young.
I'm glad to see that he built a massive network of friends in the community and that so many people were graced with his presence.
One tune that Cal and I learned and practiced together (ad nauseum, as is required in the Jazz idiom), was 'Autumn Leaves'.
Wynton Kelly Trio - Autumn Leaves (1961)
Personnel: Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums)
from the album 'WYNTON KELLY!' (Vee-Jay Records)
So sad to have learned of my buddy Cal passing. Such a warm and generous soul but with a wicked sense of humour. I’ll treasure the laughs we shared from over the Atlantic.
18 years ago I met Cal when I first moved to Kirkland from Vancouver. It was great to meet a warm & friendly fellow Canadian as I was getting to know my way around Kirkland.
Both of our parents lived in White Rock across the border & as the years passed... more18 years ago I met Cal when I first moved to Kirkland from Vancouver. It was great to meet a warm & friendly fellow Canadian as I was getting to know my way around Kirkland.
Both of our parents lived in White Rock across the border & as the years passed and they became more & more frail, Cal & I traveled up to White Rock together to visit them. We discussed the many challenges of dealing with aging parents & I was always touched by the way Cal cared for your mum until her passing.
When Bella & I walked in Kirkland we often found Cal sitting outside having a coffee or dinner. He would invite us to join him & Bella would always spend the whole time on his lap. Cal loved animals & it was sweet the way he took in a stray, gave it a very original name, ‘Cat’ & cared for it. I remember saying ‘Cal, why do you have your garbage cans sitting in front of your house, move them to the side of the house’ but he said he couldn’t because it was ‘Cats’ launching pad to the roof so he could get in the bedroom window to sleep at night. Cal loved his cat.
Cal & I talked about everything under the sun, often through his famously longs texts. My two word replies after his extensive, and often rather strongly opinionated discourse on a particular subject. It would drive me crazy until I realized he was just trying to get me riled up so he could enjoy watching the fall out, but it was comforting to know Cal could always be found at the end of a text.
One night we met for dinner & I was complaining about something & Cal calmly reminded me of what a beautiful evening it was & how lucky we were to live in such a wonderful part of the world. He reminded me to not take for granted the beauty that surrounds us and how incredibly lucky we are to live here.
Cal came & played my piano at my birthday, & Man!...he made that old, beat up piano Rock! That was such a joy for me, to hear him play my piano. It made my heart sing the way he gave life to that old piano.
The night before I left for my extended trip, I called Cal & asked if he could help with something as I was leaving the next day & was too exhausted to figure it out on my own. He said sure, I’ll be over after dinner.’ In no time he had it figured out & then sat at my piano & played a few tunes, it made all the tension of the day melt away. I am so grateful that I was able to hear Cal play that night. I will always cherish the memory of him sitting at my piano & how he made it come alive.
Cal & I talked after a recent health challenge, I told him ‘you & I are alone, neither of us have any family here, know that you can call me anytime day or night, if you need help.’ He said that was good to know and that he would do the same for me and I knew that he would.
On the last night I saw Cal I missed giving him a hug goodbye before he left. I will never miss another opportunity to give a friend a hug, to reach out with a call or text to say ‘hey, how are you doing’ and to let them know they are not alone.
I will miss my dear friend. I know he would roll your eyes at this, but I have a feeling Cal has found a jazz band to play with & is making another piano Rock! God’s speed my friend.
Barb less
Uncle Cal we will miss you my freind. I will personally miss the daily text's and your endless abilty to poke fun at anything. Bill, Jana, Thomas and Maddie>
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