David Kanakeawe "Kawika" Freitas

David Kanakeawe Freitas, known to most as Dave and to some as Kawika, passed away in the early morning of September 26, 2026, at the age of 82, with his loving daughters by his side. His passing was due to heart failure from coronary artery disease, following complications after back surgery.

Dave was born on August 26, 1944, in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, to Mary Richards and Eldred Freitas. He was the youngest of four boys, with three older brothers who were 8, 10 and 12 years his senior. He grew up in Honolulu, where the Palolo Stream was his outdoor playground and fishing became a lifelong passion.

Dave graduated from Saint Louis High School in 1962. There, he was a member of the ROTC Officers Club, a class officer and a member of the Sodality, and was steersman for the all-Crusader Healani Canoe Club seventeen-and-under paddling crew. He also played intramural and varsity volleyball. At a dance, he met his high school sweetheart, Darleen, with whom he later reunited and married.

That same year he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving from 1962 to 1966. During his enlistment, he became a national volleyball champion with his Air Force team and competed in martial arts, earning a black belt.

After completing his military service, Dave earned his Bachelor of Science in Structural Engineering from Oregon Technical Institute. He then moved to Dallas, Texas, where his engineering career began in a way only Dave could have dreamed - designing roller coasters. He went on to serve as Director of Construction for MCI Telecommunications, building junction sites across the United States. Later he founded his own company, U-Systems Incorporated, in Sandy, Utah, where he led federal construction projects for nearly 15 years before retiring.

In retirement, Dave and Darleen spent much of each year traveling throughout the West in their RV, fishing and golfing with friends, and returning home to Hawaii as often as they could. At their home in Sandy, which Dave built, he could usually be found tending his garden. When grandchildren came along, Dave and Darleen moved to Denver, Colorado, to be close to their two daughters and their families.

Though he lived many years on the mainland, Dave never stopped being a son of Hawaii. He carried the Aloha spirit with him everywhere he went - in his warmth, his loyalty, and the way he welcomed people into his life. He was a man of faith and many interests: a fisherman, golfer, builder and gardener. Dave showed up, worked hard, and cared and provided for the people he loved. That is how he lived and loved, and how he will be remembered.

Dave is survived by his wife of 44 years, Darleen; his daughter Jessica (Ryan) and grandchildren Alfie, Nellie and Winnie; his daughter Malia (Patrick) and grandchildren Mack, Axel and Bernard (“Bear”); his son Dain and grandchild Ryan Lynn; and his stepson, Ian. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Eldred, and his three brothers.

His memory will continue to live on in the lives he touched and in the family who carries his Hawaiian spirit forward.

Funeral services will be held at Our Father Lutheran Church in Centennial, Colorado, on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with inurnment to follow at Fort Logan National Cemetery. A private service will be held on Oahu next year.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Heart Association in Dave's memory.

A hui hou, Dad. Until we meet again.