David George Albertini, 79

He owned several of the Inland Empire’s most colorful bars and restaurants. His liquor license name was David George Albertini, but hundreds of his friends, customers and family members knew him affectionately as Albi. 

David died in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on May 8, 2024, at age 79, but his big heart and larger-than-life personality will always be treasured and never forgotten.

He was born April 24, 1945, in historic Wallace, Idaho. For decades, David’s Dad, George, owned the rough-and-tumble Gem Bar and Steakhouse on Sixth Street. Growing up, young David shoveled snow and ran errands for Delores Arnold, the storied madam who owned the Lux Rooms brothel next door to the Gem.

At Wallace High School, David played the first chair trumpet, co-captained the Wallace Miners football team, and set an Idaho track record that stood for 10 years. Years later, he would go on to become a “Perennial” in Spokane’s 12K Bloomsday Race, meaning he entered the first annual race in 1977 and ran every year thereafter for 37 years until he was 69.

In 1963, David joined the Navy and served on the Coral Sea aircraft carrier in Vietnam. While still in the Navy, he married his high school sweetheart, Holly Shewmaker, and they celebrated the birth of their son, David Jr., in 1964. 

In 1975, with a loan from Mary Albertini (his beloved Italian grandmother), David bought the venerable Skylark bar across from Spokane’s Ridpath Hotel. Night after night for the next 17 years, you could always find David behind the bar, welcoming the regulars by name, swapping rowdy jokes, telling legendary stories, playing his trumpet and singing old-time rock and roll songs at the top of his beautiful Italian tenor voice.

Soon, the Skylark became a celebrated gathering place for Spokane residents and out-of-towners. Many celebrities stopped by the Skylark through the years, including Evel Knievel, who once did a wheelie on his motorcycle in the bar. 

As an avid WSU Cougar booster, David hosted frequent football rallies at the Skylark and escorted busloads of his customers across the Palouse to Martin Stadium on game days. For years, David played the Cougar fight song on his trusty old trumpet after every touchdown and often led the WSU marching band down the field.

In 1977, David and his friend, Jim Flaherty (owner of the Irish bar next door to the Skylark), were instrumental in reviving Spokane’s long-forgotten St. Patrick’s Day parade. On parade day, David would stand in front of the Skylark (dubbed “O’Tini’s” for the day) and play “Anchors Aweigh” on his trumpet as the Navy’s marching band approached; then halted, stood at attention and saluted David.

In 1985, David’s regular customers convinced him to run for mayor of Spokane. Critics at first called it a publicity stunt, but David actually won 11% of the popular vote city-wide.

After selling the Skylark in 1992, David kept the party going at four more iconic restaurants through the years: The Carlin Bay Resort on Lake Coeur d’Alene … Albertini’s Bar & Grill in Spokane Valley ... the Red Lion Barbeque in downtown Spokane ... and, at age 74, the place he called “my final joint”: Albi’s Hilltop in historic Kingston, Idaho.

Throughout his life, David was known for his non-stop storytelling and his timeless bits of wisdom. The slogan on his Skylark cocktail napkins proclaimed: “It’s not what you do, it’s what you get away with.” But his younger sister, Eileen, says that his real philosophy of hospitality was contained in just two words: “Include everyone.”

Those who knew David best will tell you he was a rare mix. He was tough enough to be his own bouncer but also gentle, caring, funny, generous and compassionate. Women loved him, children trusted him and men wanted to be like him.

When David was in his late 60s, he would rise on dark winter mornings at 6 a.m. and go down to Riverstone Park in Coeur d’Alene. There, he would walk his two rescue dogs, George and Gracie, and feed four old ducks who could no longer fly south for the winter. The Coeur d’Alene Press wrote a brilliant feature story about David’s simple philosophy of life: Walk the dogs. Feed the ducks. Make people laugh. Include everyone.

Our troubled world could use more David George Albertinis in it.

David was preceded in death by his parents, George and Margaret ‘Teed’ Albertini. He is survived by his beloved son, Dave Albertini, wife Jenni and grandsons Cooper and Cade, brother Frank ‘Angelo’ (Jeri) Albertini and sons Dan and Graham, sister Eileen (Larry) Bieber and children Alason (Brad) Hill, Jamison (Raven) Albertini and Rick (Brandy) Bieber.  

David requested special thanks go to: “My sister Eileen, Cousin Dan Zadra and close friends Francie (Murray) Lane, Suzie Sinclaire, Peggy and Rick Cooper, Pat Wheeler and Joe Clark.”  

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hilltop restaurant, 41845 Silver Valley Road, Kingston, ID. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be sent to Hospice of North Idaho.