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David Freeman, a.k.a. “Tuba Dave,” who played with the Manhattan Beach musical institution Hyperion Outfall Serenaders for more than three decades, died on Sept. 23 of congestive heart failure. He was 69.

Friends said Freeman’s most defining attribute was his loyalty to family and friends.
“He was always on hand, dependable in any situation and giving of himself,” said fellow band member Bob White.

Freeman’s favorite hobby was cooking. The bigger the group to feed, the more Freeman relished the challenge, White wrote.

Freeman was born on April 6, 1940 in Syracuse, New York and moved to Southern California in 1960 to attend El Camino College. He served in the Army from 1964 to 1966. He also worked for General Telephone and Hughes Aircraft. He retired from Hughes in 1990.

Dave’s devotion to the band was intense, and his skill with electronics brought him added “roadie” status as he dealt with the Serenaders’ sound system, White said. His father had played tuba with the famous Sousa Band, a talent that White likely inherited.