David Stanley Chirgwin

David Stanley Chirgwin
February 17, 1927 – September 3, 2019
David Stanley Chirgwin passed away peacefully at home in Medford on September 3, 2019. He was a
kind and gentle man who was well liked and appreciated for his sense of humor.
David was born Feb 17, 1927 in Medford, Oregon. At the time, his parents, Herbert Stanley and May
(Mordoff) Chirgwin, operated the general store in Eagle Point and the family, including his older sister
Helen, lived above the store. His father Stanley managed orchards and when Dave was two years old the
family moved to an orchard on Kershaw Road. Dave grew up living and working in various pear and
peach orchards around the valley, learning from his father and developing an abiding passion for the
fruit business.
He graduated from Medford High School in June 1945 as the class salutatorian. He graduated from
Oregon State College in 1949 with a BS and then attended Portland State College to study accounting.
He joined the auditing firm Haskins and Sells in Portland and became a licensed certified public
accountant in 1952.
On June 6 th , 1954 he married the love of his life, Agnes Moll in the First Methodist Church in Forest
Grove. They had two sons, Keith and Mark. In 1956 Dave and his young family moved from Portland
back to Medford where Dave joined Cal-Ore Machinery as the comptroller. In 1973 he left Cal-Ore to
become the comptroller for Olsen and Lawyer Lumber Company.
Fulfilling a longstanding dream, in his free time Dave and his partner Don Berry owned and operated
several orchards around the valley, including Pioneer Orchard on Pioneer Road in Phoenix, now
Stoneriver Vineyards. Through a lifetime of curiosity and experience, he became an expert in all aspects
of the orchard business.
During their 65-year marriage, Dave and Agnes enjoyed traveling, including biking in the Netherlands
and Italy, and visiting family throughout North America and England. Self-reliant and always busy even
in retirement, he volunteered several thousand hours for the Providence Guild at Providence Medical
Center in Medford. He was well-read with a quick wit and self-deprecating sense of humor. He was a
true gentleman.
He is survived by his spouse Agnes; his son Keith and his wife Carole and their sons Eric and Tyler; his
son Mark and his wife Peggy and their son Ray and his wife Natalie.
A memorial service will be held at Phoenix Plaza Civic Center in Phoenix at 10 am September 28.