David A. Abbey

September 6th, 1933 - September 16th, 2019

David's Memory Wall

We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of David here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. Share your favorite stories or comment on those shared by others.

Our condolences to Marsha and family. Dave was a very good friend to our father with whom he work at the city of flint traffic engineering. He frequently visited our home. We were honored to attend your wedding in flint and equally honored to have you two at our wedding in flint in 1978 with Dave's mother. His great spirit and śense of humor will be missed. You are all on our thoughts and prayers. Ken Johnson and Sheila Kelly.

Ken Johnson

June 6th, 2020 at 12:07pm

My condolences to the family. Growing up he was always the energetic, goofy guy that came over to visit. Just a couple of the many memories I have are 1 time he took us swimming at the beach. On the way home he took us to McDonald's for ice cream. His tax was that he would lick each cone before you got it. Another time he came by the house on a holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) and pulled his pants down to reveal his Chicago Bears boxer shorts and proceeded to sing the Bears fight song. We are all Lions fans.
Nathan Olson

Nathan Olson

September 24th, 2019 at 9:05am

Dear Marsha and family

How sad to hear of Dave’s passing . If Ann were still with us I know we would both think of the fun times at BUFF when our kids were just starting their journeys in life. Dave was always a good friend and a great teacher, mostly about good values. We had great times at BUFF picnics and family get togethers. Dave was always the life of the party and his sense of humor will be sorely missed. My deepest condolences to all of you.

Charlie Williamson

September 22nd, 2019 at 2:52pm

Mr. Abbey respected us as students. I was in a 6th grade class of his at Hollywood Elementary. He made us feel that our ideas and opinions were valued, that it was safe to express our feelings. He taught us to respect and listen to others. He created a sense of community and belonging. Mr. Abbey let us know that we could depend not only on him but on the entire class as a whole. He was always warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. Great with listening skills, he went out of his way even with a way-too-busy schedule with a classroom full of rambunctious pre-teens. If he was having a bad day, we never knew it. He set high expectations for all of us. He was the first one to congratulate our successes and was there to pick us up and encourage if we failed or didn't quite reach the mark. What a natural teacher he was, never seemed to work at it – teaching and learning just happened. A true professional. Mr. Abbey is one of my many great memories growing up. He gave me a life-long quest of seeking, engaging, questioning, and taught me to encourage and support my many students over the years. Thank you so much, Mr. Abbey.

John Elsner

September 20th, 2019 at 11:24am

Many of you know that Mr. Abbey died Monday evening. I'm still grappling with the loss. My best friend's dad, my dad's best friend; a friend and a mentor and an important part of my life. He liked to remind us of the saying that "When an old man dies, a library burns." He wanted to make sure he wrote down and shared his memories so they wouldn't be lost. And he had amazing stories and such a wealth of experiences. But I think that his real legacy was not in sharing his stories, it was in helping us create our own. He constantly pushed us to try new things, to be audacious, to grab the moment, to connect with others. There are so many awesome experiences in my life that I can directly attribute to Mr. Abbey.
Among them: he decided we should learn to ski; that we'd have more fun in a group, and that it could become a life-long pursuit. He drove the extended van to the ski hill every Friday night so we could take lessons. The trip was half the fun, with goofy songs, and jokes, and stories. And then he skied with my parents all over the world.

I think that his library didn't burn down; rather, his whole life was a shower of sparks that lit a flame that continues to burn in so many of us. For which I am forever grateful, and inspired to do the same.

David A. Abbey

David's Memory Wall

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