David Louis Buchta, 75, of Charleroi, died Monday May 9, 2016 at 6:30 pm in MonValley Hospital. Born in North Charleroi in 1940 proudly on the Queen of Heaven’s birthday, Sept 8, he was the son of the late Louis David and Helen (Sally) Vrabel Buchta. Preceded in death by his dearly missed sister, Patricia Carol Gabrik (Mike). Survived by his beloved Life Partner of nearly 44 years, Harmon Ziegler. David was uncle to Mickey, Jimmy, Jerry and Desiree, all living in California.

David was an altar boy for many years –he said “a 100 years,” at St Jerome’s. He memorized the Latin and knew the meaning of it, and eventually became the head altar boy. Many people assumed he’d become a priest. Graduate of Charleroi High and then California Univ in 1962, David briefly taught high school English first at Mon Valley Catholic High, then in Cambridge, OH until finally teaching 5th and 6th grades in Atlantic County, NJ. He was an inventive and inspiring teacher, highly admired and appreciated by his students. Many told him he was their favorite teacher. He later used his humanitarian talents as a social worker for Atlantic Co until he retired in 1992. In NJ he married Maureen Nowlin Jan 10, 1970. After 2 years, sadly never having children, they separated and eventually divorced. Everybody thought he’d have made a wonderful father.

He loved classical music, especially opera. And to travel. To see as much of the world as he could besides the Mon Valley and his beloved area by the Atlantic Ocean. When he met Harmon they traveled much (mind you, doing it frugally) with many visits of over a month to places like Florida, California, Arizona, Argentina, Australia, SoAfrica. Whenever possible attending opera, ballet, or symphony performances. When the house he was raised in, his grandmother’s, in Charleroi was left to him, they returned to his native city. They were modest but enthusiastic patrons of WQED-FM, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Phipps Botanical Conservatory, the Tener Library and other worthy cultural and educational institutions.

David made friends easily and was well beloved by many he met in distant places as well as locally at the Charleroi Senior Center, where he usually ate lunch up until his last illness. David desired to be cremated. There will be no viewing or religious service.  A memorial service is being planned at a future date.