David Dean Bula

David Dean Bula passed away peacefully on February 6, 2025 in Spokane Valley, following a brief illness.  He is survived by wife Susan, daughter Kat, kitties Ginger and Freddy, and brother Rick (Jean). 

A man of many interests, Dave was especially passionate about forest fire lookouts and music.   He surrounded himself with others who shared these passions, considering many of these connections as family.

Dave always had a song in his head and bass beat in his soul.  Raised in a musical family, he took organ lessons from his mother and eventually taught himself to play guitar, even convincing some of his close friends to buy their own guitars on a trip to Mexico.  As a young adult, he played in dance bands, and performed as a folk duo with his first wife, Jeannie.  Later, he shared his passion for music with daughter Kat, performing alongside her at regional music events, including as members of bluegrass band Whytewater.  Dave was an ardent and eclectic music listener, and an enthusiastic supporter of live shows, from large touring acts to local musicians in small venues.  In his later years, he especially cherished his connections with local blues musicians and fans. 

A devotee of forest fire lookouts from early childhood, Dave worked for two seasons at Argentine Rock Lookout in California in the early 1970s.  He went on to become one of the premier lookout researchers of the American west, volunteering huge amounts of time to share his historical research with authors, preservationists, and others in the lookout community.  He held offices in the Forest Fire Lookout Association as Western Deputy Chair and Washington State Director.  Dave was honored with the national organization’s Doug Newman Award for his “dedicated, outstanding research.”  

Like many young boys, Dave collected baseball cards and spent many a night listening to games on his transistor radio.  Over the years, Dave closely followed local teams (Go Mariners and Spokane Indians!), and here his penchant for amassing data was in full effect.

Dave was born in Spokane on February 10th, 1949 to Dean and Floy Bula.  He graduated from Ferris High School in 1966, and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Geography from Eastern Washington State College.  He married his first wife, Jeannie Gilbert, in 1971.  The two spent the early years of their marriage exploring the mountainous American west, living in Thompson Falls, Montana before working as fire lookouts near Quincy, California.  Dave enlisted in the Navy in 1974, where he worked as an aviation technician aboard various aircraft carriers.  He spent most of his military career stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, and it was here that his daughter Kathleen was born in 1983.  After an injury shortened his career, he and his family moved home to Spokane.  He returned to Eastern for a second degree, this time in accounting, which became his primary occupation until retirement.

After his first marriage ended, Dave met Susan Spencer. The two were married in 1999 atop Mt. Spokane, site of the Vista House Fire Lookout.   Dave and Sue enjoyed over 25 years of shared adventures and friendships, making cherished memories such as cruising Alaska and Europe, connecting with the fire lookout community, and touring dozens of lighthouses around the U.S.

A celebration of life is planned for this summer.  Pacific Northwest Cremation is in charge of arrangement. The family would love to read your comments and stories on their tribute wall at www.pnwcremation.com.