David Semas Obituary

In Taunton, David J. Semas, age 71, passed away on April 21, 2022, in the comfort of his home surrounded by family after a long courageous battle with squamous cell carcinoma. David is survived by his loving dedicated wife of 43 years, Deborah (Chappell) Semas of Taunton. David was born in Taunton, the son of the late Evelyn (Semas) Grenier and Adelino Caldeira; he was raised by his grandparents, Rosalina (Perry) Semas and John Semas. In addition to his wife, he leaves his daughter Karen Semas and her fiancé Paul DeBairos of Taunton, his son Donald Wheaton and his wife Jessica Wheaton of Taunton, and his grandchildren Koryn Graves, Kayla Rogers, Lex Wheaton, and Willow Wheaton.

David leaves behind his sister Cindi O'Connell and her husband Kevin of Wilmington, and a brother Billy Grenier of Methuen. He also left behind a large extended family and was known by and as a friend to many people. David worked many different jobs throughout his life; in his early years, he worked on his family's farm and his grandfather's garbage disposal company. However, his true passion was cars, starting his career in the 70s at Lemu Motors, in which Dick Lemieux took him under his wing and taught him the ways of the used care business.

He eventually became an independent business owner and manager of Westville Auto Sales. He was an avid lover of classic cars, sports cars, and Harley Davidson motorcycles. He enjoyed riding motorcycles, traveling the country, going to motorcycle rallies, shooting pool, and being part of bowling leagues with his wife. David was a proud member of his motorcycle club, the Bold Ones, and riding with his friends such as Joe Carlos, Ernie Correia, Eddie DeMoura, and Frank Paliguica. He also enjoyed a good western like True Grit, Hop Along Cassidy, Cheyenne, and Charlie Chan movies.

He liked watching the Celtics, and if you asked him, Larry Bird was the greatest of all time without an argument. David had a heart of gold, would help anyone in need, and was a volunteer at the St. Thomas's Church soup kitchen for many years, even after being diagnosed and losing his right arm. He was a lover of all animals, taking in many strays over the years and never having a moment without at least one dog running around the house. Most importantly, Dave was a family man who enjoyed his time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Some may say Dave Semas was a bit rough around the edges, but those that had the privilege to know him as a generous, loving man who was unapologetically himself and lived life on his own terms. David was a strong, stubborn, stoic man who fought to survive his entire life, and he continued that fight up to the very last moment. A funeral home service will be held at the O'Keefe Wade Funeral Home, 70 Washington St., Taunton, MA on Tuesday, April 26st at 11am. Relatives and friends are also invited to visiting hours on Monday from 5-7pm.

Burial will be at Mayflower Hill Cemetery in Taunton. Donations in David's memory may be made to the Skin Cancer Foundation at skincancer.org.