David Dwight Dove

June  3, 1962 - June  6, 2014

Born June 3, 1962 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Tom and Betty Dove, David Dove lost his life in a house fire at 10951 West Reading Road, Reading on June 6, 2014.  Along with David, his faithful-to-the-end companion dog, Baron Von Weimaraner, also died.
The delay in the funeral so far past the death date was due to a lengthy examination by the Hillsdale County Medical Examiner, who released his body on July 3, 2014.  It seems appropriate to quote here from David’s favorite rock group, Led Zeppelin, “In my time of dyin’, want nobody to moan.  All I want them to do is take my body home.”  David is now home from his banishment to Toledo, Ohio.
The family will be available for visitation on Thursday, July 10 from 2-4 and again from 6-8 p.m.  The funeral will take place in the Eagle Funeral Home-George White Chapel in Reading at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 11, 2014 with Reverend Alan Fenstermaker officiating..  Immediately following, David will be laid to rest in the California Corners Cemetery.
Early on, it became obvious David was a gifted child as he was part of a pediatric group to help progress early childhood development as studied at Queen Kapiolani’s Children’s Hospital in Honolulu.  He attended Quincy Schools grades K-8, and then graduated from Camden-Frontier High School in 1980.  He also attended Hillsdale College.
David had a lifelong interest in sports, particularly basketball and football, which he played in school.  A member of the Arbor Day Society, he developed a hobby of planting trees, and many fine, large trees exist because he felt trees necessary to our survival.  Everything David planted seemed to flourish and grow. 
David will be remembered as the man behind the counter for nearly thirty years at his store, The Egypt Express in Algansee (Egypt) where his friends would meet.  No one remained a stranger to David very long.  It became a family joke that David literally gave away everything he owned to others who may not have been so fortunate.  Generosity was his virtue, and it was matched by his painful honesty and tenacity.
Surviving David, besides his loving parents, is his sister, Rachel Dove of Bronson, and his brother, Wesley Dove of Coldwater.  Left behind to mourn the loss of their only uncle are his three nephews, Parker Dove, Jonah Dove and Dane Dove.  One uncle, James (Sara) Parker of Allen, and two aunts, Helen Parker of Reading and Jeanette Parker of Largo FL survive, as do many cousins and numerous friends.  Memorials are suggested to the Arbor Day Foundation.




First  Notice in Paper

  June  3, 1962 - June  6, 2014

David D. Dove, 52, of Reading passed away late Friday (6/6/2014), as a result of a house fire.  Arrangements are pending at Eagle Funeral Home-George White Chapel .

Eagle Funeral Home Obituaries

  David Dwight Dove

 Reading

At the hour we believe you died, I thought I myself might die, but obviously the relief was not to happen.

I went to the cemetery waiting for a sign, but nothing happened.
I do not know what I expected, but I know you are gone. Everyday I know this.


It is so hard to accept, but I know now that you are truly gone and I know what it means to truly miss someone.


Everytime someone shares a memory of you with me, I am so gratefule for the warm feeling I get inside, yet so sad because I know there are no more Dave stories. We all were blessed that you were part of our lives,


I wish there were answers to why did you have to go? We were not prepared at all.

So long as we keep sharing our thoughts of you, I think maybe we all will be able to go on, Your life to us was PRICELESS.If the measure of a man's life is how people feel about him after he is gone, then I know it was priceless to many, some for small reasons, some for bigger reasons.


I miss you so much that my heart literally hurts.               

In this story we will start with the sad end to get it out of the way.

On June 6th, just three days after his birthday, at 11 PM, David's house caught on fire. He was by the window, on the floor. I think he tried to escape, but was overcome by the fumes and smoke.  His companion dog, Baron Von Weimaraner died in the fire along with David. 

He was left, by the order of the firemen, to roast for 5 hours. The Hillsdale County Medical Examiner never showed up. Later, the ME "kidnapped " the body from the funeral home. we had to wait for thirty days while a Ohio lab tried to identify what I, the mother, had already identified.

What a horrible heart wrenching experience. First the loss of my handsome son, but then the unbearable wait forced upon us by an uncaring, unreachable Medical Examiner. This is made worse by  the fact our tax dollars paid this man to do this.

Finally, David's remains were returned to Reading, MI where we had a short beautful funeral service and then we reluctantly laid him to rest in the California Township Cemetery on South Ray Quincy Road in Branch County, Michigan, a short distance from where David spent his growing up years.