David Rosema

For some, the ebb and flow of life is like a smooth sailing ship which over the course of time sails by with little mishap. For others, the waves bounding ups and downs with intermittent rays of joy somehow manage to bring joy to one's heart to last a lifetime. Such was the life of David Rosema who found his greatest happiness in the love of family. Dave's story began in the year 1945, a time marked by many changes in the history of America. The slinky made its debut to the delight of children everywhere, and radios were tuned to the likes of Bing Crosby, Perry Como and the Andrew Sisters. The victorious end to World War II brought joy and celebration the world over. In the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jewel Rosema gave birth to a healthy baby boy she lovingly named David Michael just prior to the Christmas holiday on December 14, 1945. After his birth, David's young mother returned to Muskegon, the place they called home. They moved around a bit when he was young, and for a time his mother worked as a live-in maid for the Gerber family, owners of the Gerber baby food company in Fremont. They eventually settled into a place of their very own on the east side of Muskegon where Dave enjoyed a typical childhood of boyhood adventure and fun-filled days with friends. Dave attended the local schools where he was a friend to many. Sports played a big part of his life during his formative years and in high school he especially enjoyed playing football and basketball. With the onset of troubling times overseas, he left his schooling behind at the age of 17 to join the U.S. Army. Like so many others, the Vietnam War greatly affected Dave for the rest of his life. The memories he held of the experiences he endured there continually plagued him, as did the physical injuries to his back he suffered due to an unfortunate fall from a helicopter. Once he got out of the Army, Dave returned to Muskegon where he tried to pick up the pieces of the life he left behind. Dave left for the service merely an adolescent and returned home a man to a much different place. He went through some troubling times while trying to find his way, especially through the turbulent times of the late 1960s when he began running on the wild side. Along with a few brushes with the law, he also had a brief marriage during this time which resulted in the birth of his son, Greg. Unfortunately, when the marriage ended, Dave lost touch with his son. Finally deciding to settle down, Dave went on to earn his GED which was a step in the right direction for him. He worked at a number of various jobs around the Muskegon area, but the early 1970s had much more in store for Dave. While at a local club he met a young woman named Shirley Terlaan. An independent country girl from Ravenna who melted his heart, they started dating and fell deeply in love. June 13, 1973 marked the day they were happily married and began their life together as husband and wife. With aspirations of starting a family of their own, they sadly experienced the birth of their stillborn daughter, Amy in 1975 which affected them both. They decided to pack up their life and moved to the Kansas City area for a time. While there Dave worked with the Salvation Army, and Shirley worked in a curtain factory. They eventually returned to Muskegon where they settled into a home on Kensington Street in the Wolf Lake area of Muskegon. Dave and Shirley were overjoyed with the healthy birth of their son, Justin in 1977 and were just as happy when son, Travis came along two years later. As a family they enjoyed membership with the Muskegon Timber Travelers. Every few weekends they loved taking their pop-up camper to different campgrounds around the state which made for memorable times. With both of his boys actively involved in sports, Dave was sure to support them as much as he could. He and Shirley both coached some of their teams and he also helped out with local youth basketball at Oakridge High School. For a number of years, Dave served as the announcer at the Oakridge youth and high school football games. In time Dave acquired a desire to further his education. He went on to attend Muskegon Business College, graduating with a degree in marketing. Over the years he worked at a number of different places including Howmet Corporation until he re-injured his back. He sold cars for a while, sold insurance, and worked with troubled youth at Child and Family Services. For several years he worked as a Pinkerton Security Guard and drove bus for Muskegon Catholic Central High School where he eventually landed a custodial position. A heart for his community was also at the forefront of Dave's mind. During the 1980s and 1990s he was elected as a trustee for the Egelston Township Board where he served for several terms. He also ran for a seat on the Muskegon County Commission but was unfortunately defeated. In his spare time he thoroughly enjoyed fishing, his longtime love of camping and watching sports. When their son, Travis was diagnosed with an inherited disease at the age of 15, Dave watched his beloved Shirley tenderly care for their son, especially when he underwent a liver transplant at 17. They made sure he had the best care and doctors possible, and made many trips to the Mayo Clinic and University of Michigan. Dave was undergoing his own health issues, and around the same time he stopped working in 2001, Shirley also was forced into disabilty as she suffered from the same genetic disease as her son, only it affected her lungs. These were no less rough years for their family, but their love and care for one another shone bright above all. Time spent on his computer occupied most of Dave's time at home. For a while he also enjoyed making fancy wooden walking sticks and driftwood mobiles and even tried selling them at local art fairs a time or two. Dave eventually required the need for continuous oxygen, but never could give up his smoking habit. After acquiring pneumonia, he was placed in a nursing home and soon began to show signs of dementia. Sadly, Dave's wife Shirley died in March of 2011 after her long illness, and as Dave's body also continued to fail, he too sadly died on August 5, 2011 at the age of 65. Although Dave Rosema had more than his share of trials, he lived life fully and loved completely just the same. In the hearts of those who knew and loved him, he will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. SURVIVORS: Sons, Justin (Carrie) Rosema of Decatur, Illinois and Travis (Meghan) Rosema of Muskegon; granddaughter, Natalie; mother, Jewell Parsons. Besides his wife, Dave was preceded in death by his daughter, Amy in 1975. SERVICE: Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 1:00 PM at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon with Rev. Jonathan Rager officiating. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign his online guest book. Clock Life Story-Muskegon Clock Life Story Funeral Home.