David E. Rotan

He was born June 12, 1937, in Covington, Kentucky. He graduated from Miami University in Ohio, the first in his family to earn a college degree. After finding his footing in the world, he married his wife of 42 years, Jane, and started a family. They moved from Ohio to West Virginia to Michigan during his decades-long career as a sales manager with the Chevrolet division of General Motors.

His family was the love of his life.

He was an active man, who enjoyed golf and baseball. In his later years, he was a fixture in the neighborhood, walking his dog Barney every day. He enjoyed music, travel and reading.

But, those are just the facts. What was he really like?

He was entertaining. Dave was known to spontaneously burst into song, often show tunes like “Singular Sensation” from A Chorus Line or “Maria” from West Side Story. He captivated his family with spontaneous, dramatic recitations of poems he’d memorized by heart such as “Casey at the Bat” and “The Raven.” His record collection defied categorization, ranging from disco to jazz to classical. He played the trumpet as a young man and loved Louis Armstrong. He was a great conversationalist – genial, warm and full of stories.

He was inquisitive. He read the newspaper daily and watched the news nightly. He was always ready to talk about politics or world affairs. He was a whiz at Jeopardy and was undefeated in years of Trivial Pursuit games against his family. When, during his retirement, his wife was diagnosed with cancer, he went back to school to earn a pharmaceutical technician degree so he could better understand the medical landscape in which they found themselves. He was a voracious reader, devouring everything from history books to steamy fiction.

He was caring. Dave spent hours in the greeting card aisle, searching for the perfect card to mark each occasion. He always included a sweet, handwritten note inside. He gave thoughtful gifts to celebrate each holiday, birthday and milestone. He wrote thank-yous for presents he received or even just to say he had enjoyed sharing your company. He kept his house stocked with everyone’s favorite treats. He ended every phone call with an “I love you” and every visit with a hug. When you pulled away from his house, there he’d be, waving goodbye from the doorway. He expected you to honk for the dog.

He was quirky. Every Sunday, he’d load Barney the poodle into his car and drive to McDonald’s to order breakfast sandwiches for both of them. Dave’s method of driving can only be described as insanity, a mix between pedal-to-the-metal tailgater and laissez-faire lane drifter. He lived by the adage “a place for everything and everything in its place.” The man knew how to load a dishwasher.

He was proud. His shirts were always freshly pressed and his hair neatly clipped. He insisted on maintaining his sizeable yard and clearing snow from his driveway, even after two hip replacements. He did his own taxes, paid off his home and put all three of his daughters through college.

Most of all, he was a dad. Each Sunday, he’d take his daughters to the library, the park and the pet store. He patiently drove his ballerina to rehearsals and recitals, coached soccer, went to countless horse shows, and taught his youngest to ride her bike by using Candy Corns as a motivational tool. Walks or bike rides along the “Green Forest” path sometimes included eating wild blackberries straight from the bush together. He was magic.

His life wasn’t perfect. He had flaws. He had regrets. He had disappointments. He experienced loss and grief. But, he never let any of it dim the twinkle in his eye or diminish his dedication to his family. His spirit was light, like the down of a dandelion drifting on the breeze when a wish is made.

Gazing at the starry sky the night Dave died, his teen grandson commented: “What a legend! He was the heart of this family. Now, a piece of his heart lives in each of us.”

Dave is survived by his daughters Jill (Tracy) Wagner, Leslie (Darrel) Ellis, Kate (John) Kellogg, his sister Jackie Hutchins and grandchildren Greta, Gabriel and Alair. He was preceded in death by his wife Jane Rotan, his brother Michael Rotan, his mother Alberta Rotan and his dad Jack Rotan.

A memorial service will be live streamed starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2020. It will be available to view at the link further down on this page, or by visiting, www.oneroomstreaming.com. You will then enter the following log in information:

Event ID: PixleyWestU

Password: QTZIFD

Memorial contributions may be made to The Ruth Ellis Center located at 77 Victor St., Highland Park, MI 48203. www.ruthelliscenter.org

Listen to some of the music Dave loved:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7I5wEAf4M8Z1imPN33zgkp?si=ZB7V6I-nT8etNZpPnE3o4A