David J McAlpine

David McAlpine, 83, of Grant Township, Michigan, passed away on July 5, 2026 at McLaren Port Huron after a brief illness.

David was born on November 22, 1942 to Bettie and James McAlpine and grew up with his sisters, Marion and Janie. As a small child, his curiosity managed to get him into some mischief a time or two but he also excelled in school and enjoyed learning all things. He spent a few years of his youth helping his dad build their family home from the ground up and it still remains standing today.

Dave attended Central Michigan University where he met Mary Ann Morpaw, his wife of 34 years. Mary Ann always said that the day she met him she knew she would marry him. Mary Ann and Dave lived in Port Huron for the majority of their marriage where they raised their two children, Mike and Nancy. They later moved to The Pines, their sanctuary in the woods of Jeddo, MI where they enjoyed watching wildlife and spending time by the pond.

David began his career as a math teacher but soon decided that wasn’t for him and switched gears to work with his hands. He eventually retired from the Archdiocese of Detroit where he was a maintenance supervisor for different parishes including St. James in Ferndale and St. Edward on the Lake in Lakeport.

Dave was a lifelong learner and quenched his thirst for knowledge with books, instruction manuals, magazines and documentaries. He could converse on any subject from world religions and history to the mysteries of the universe. The arts were important to him and at one point, he even learned how to throw pottery. He enjoyed traveling (from western Canada to Ireland to Australia), seeing the world and exploring different cultures. His most recent trip to Peru with his son, Mike was a dream come true if a bit of a challenge with the high altitude.

Dave nourished his soul by sitting out on his deck, face up to the sun, listening to the breeze through the trees and directing Mike on how to manage their vegetable and flower gardens. He would also sit for hours by the water watching the boats and dreaming of building his own sailboat one day. He enjoyed spending time with close friends, traveling, going to the symphony, biking, taking road trips or simply enjoying long talks over coffee. His grandchildren had his whole heart and he loved spending time with them, chatting about anything under the sun (boats, engineering, golf, college and books were favorite topics). Over the past year, he and Abby could frequently be found at Barnes and Noble chatting about his life history over a mocha Frappuccino.

David is survived by his son, Michael McAlpine of Grant Township; daughter Nancy (Jon) Kramer of Harrison Township; grandchildren, Nathan, Abigail and Jonah Kramer of Harrison Township; sister, Marion Palmateer of Charlotte; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

David was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann; his sister, Jane Elizabeth; and his parents, Bettie and James.

A memorial to celebrate Dave’s life will be held at a later date.

Dave’s family prefers that donations be made to The American Lung Association.

Arrangements are by Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home. To send condolences, visit karrersimpson.com