David Whitman Chance

<p>A member of the first graduating class of the new Petaluma High School in 1960, David Whitman Chance went on to become the dean of the San Francisco College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine during the 1980s.</p><p>A resident of Las Vegas, Nev., Mr. Chance died on Feb. 20, 2013. He was 70.</p><p>Born in Hayward, Mr. Chance grew up in Petaluma. He was president of the student body and class valedictorian at Petaluma High School. </p><p>He received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1966, and his master's degree in research psychology from San Francisco State University in 1972. While establishing the college of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, he married Mary Kay Boudreax.</p><p>In addition to serving as dean for the college, he taught orientation, psychology and philosophy classes for the University of Phoenix in both Northern California and Las Vegas, where he also taught for other local college degree programs.</p><p>He and Mary Kay Boudreax moved to Sebastopol, from where he commuted and later worked at Holiday Inn Express. </p><p>Mr. Chance moved to Las Vegas in 2004 with his second wife, Bernell Walker, who preceded him in death in 2008. He organized the Las Vegas Screenwriters Group, finishing the first of two screen plays, “How I Learned to Love Bigfoot.” He is interviewed in the documentary film “Foreclosure City” (2010). </p><p>He is survived by his brother, John. A small memorial for close family members will be scheduled in April. Donations may be sent to the World Wildlife Fund.</p>