David B. Mather

He was born in Oregon as the third of four children of Asher King Mather and Marianne Brackenridge Mather. His early childhood was spent living on small farms in Oregon and then in Michigan. In his later elementary school years, the family settled in Kalamazoo, Michigan where Dave graduated from Loy Norrix High School.

Post-high school, Dave was a medic in the US Army, stationed at a military hospital in San Francisco where he worked with soldiers just returning from the front, often with horrific wounds, and with military families. After his time in the military, he attended Michigan State University with strong interests in economics and finance and in the visual arts.

Dave was an independent business owner operating a flower cart that was a mainstay along Grand River Avenue in East Lansing for two decades beginning in the 1970’s. Dave was a long-time resident of East Lansing and supporter of the arts. He was a talented photographer, at times working professionally in that field, and maintained a lifelong interest in the visual arts, jazz, and other media. For a time, Dave worked as a professional photographer doing wedding pictures and had a recurring job courtside at NBA games taking action photos of players for commissioned portraits.

Dave enjoyed playing bridge with a group of male friends for many years and was an avid reader and student of history. He was an autodidact on many subjects including those academic (history, economics, science) and practical (carpentry, plumbing, electrical work).

He also built a business as a landlord owning several rental houses in East Lansing and then parlaying the sale of those properties into purchase of apartment buildings and a commercial building.

Dave was married to Sarah Slocum from 1996 until their divorce in 2012. They have one son, Maxwell King Mather, and Sarah’s two daughters from a previous marriage, Sarah Joann Johnson and Anne Marie Kingery who completed their household. Max provided dedicated and loving care to Dave since his diagnosis with dementia in 2021.

He is predeceased by his father and mother, and sister Ruth. He is survived by his brothers, Richard (Donna) and Tim (Linda).

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes East Chapel, 1730 E Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823.