David Rolfe

David Rolfe was a man who loved the open road. He was a trucker by trade, and a biker by choice, who loved the life the open road afforded him. Dave was a loving son, brother and uncle, and a loyal friend to so many. Most of all, Dave was a man always willing to go the extra mile for those he loved.

Dave’s story began on a cold winter day in 1959, in the bustling city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Those were turbulent times in this country, as the Cold War continued, the Space Race began, and Americans were adjusting to a nuclear age. On February 2, 1959, William and Phyllis (Calkins) Rolfe had a big change of their own, with the birth of a baby boy at Borgess Hospital, a son they named David.

Dave was the fourth of the couple’s five children, joining his sisters Jackie, Pat, Linda and Shari in the family’s home. His father was a hardworking typesetter, while his mother cared for the home and the family.

Dave was all boy from the get-go, a cute little boy who loved playing Little League baseball and being a Cub Scout, and loved riding his bikes everywhere, too. He later graduated to mini bikes and motor bikes, a prelude to the Harley-Davidsons he would love as a man. He also learned to play guitar as a kid, and once built a tree house with his buddy, Denny Flach.

He was a very endearing little boy but not easily rattled. During a sledding incident a nail went through his hand. Dave calmly told his sister "I have a nail in my hand". This was an indicator of the calm laid back man he would become. His mechanical abilities appeared in shop class (where he once built his own tool box) and continued to working on engines.

Dave attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary, Northeastern Junior High and graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School. He was an excellent student, well liked because of his quick wit and friendly nature. Dave drove a red Mustang in high school that he and his friends enjoyed.

After he graduated from high school in 1977, Dave began working as an over the road semi-truck driver, which was the perfect career for him. He loved the open road, and loved the camaraderie he found among his trucker friends. His handle on the CB radio was “Pan Head,” or “Trucker Dave.”

Dave worked for 30 years as a trucker, and was accident-free for all 30 of those years. He drove for many different companies over the years, including Motycka, Van Andel, Caparossi, and most recently, the Mustang Company. He was a great trucker, and prided himself on being able to deliver his load — and then getting out of unloading it!

Though he never owned his own truck, they were his second home, and he of course had his favorites over the years. His all-time favorite was a 1973 Peterbuilt. On the truck he drove, he removed the mufflers and put in straight pipes, making it sound even meaner.

Dave did, however, own his prized 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass, as well as his share of bikes, and his Harleys were his pride and joy. More than simply riding, which he loved, he truly embraced the biker lifestyle, and amassed a huge network of like-minded friends. He even met a woman named Kathy Secor at a biker rally, fell in love, and they were married in 1988. He wore his biker outfit and she wore a wedding dress on the back of his Harley!

Dave and Kathy and her two children, John and Crystal, were together two years, before the marriage ended in divorce.

Dave had plenty of family, friends and hobbies to fulfill his life. He had many, many close friends, and could always be counted on to be there for family or friends when they needed him. He was a thoughtful and tender man in so many ways. He seldom forgot birthdays and usually selected just the right card. He adored his mother.

When he was home, Dave could be found hanging out with his good friends at the Eastwood Bar, the Lamplighter Tap Room, or the Home Bar, three of his favorite watering holes. He was a man with simple tastes, and was quite content with a meal of hot dogs, meat loaf and baked beans. He enjoyed caring for many house plants he had, and had quite a green thumb, too. He enjoyed watching his favorite TV shows, House, South Park, and the soap opera Passions, which he seldom missed. He even pulled his truck over wherever he was at to watch it!

Every summer, Dave enjoyed heading north to Baldwin, Michigan, for the annual “Blessing of the Bikes” event there. He was a non-practicing Catholic, but he maintained a faith in the Lord, and always enjoyed being with his family of friends.

They loved seeing him, too. Dave was a beloved man everywhere he went. He talked fast, hugged hard (they even hurt sometimes!), and had an endless supply of jokes, making him fun to be around. Dave was a good-hearted man, who always forgave but never forgot, and a man who would do anything for those he loved.

Sadly, Dave died suddenly December 9, 2007, at the age of 48.

Dave was a wonderful man, who lived a life he always loved. He was a trucker by trade, and a biker by choice, who was happiest out on the road, his family of friends by his side. He was a loving son, brother and uncle, and a loyal friend to so many. No matter how far it took, Dave was a man always willing to go the extra mile for those he loved. He will be greatly missed.

Learn more about Dave view his Life Story Film and visit with his family Thursday from 4:00-8:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home-Betzler 6080 Stadium Dr Kalamazoo 375-2900 where a service to honor his life will be held Friday at 11:00 AM. Interment Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Following the interment everyone is invited to the Lamplighter on Comstock Ave for food and refreshments. Dave was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law Don Weber in 2006. Members of his family include his sisters; Jackie (Terry) Pickett of Paw Paw, Patricia Weber of Kalamazoo, Linda (Mark) VanDussen of Paw Paw and Shari (Tim) May of Lake Doster, several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a special childhood friend, Denny Flach. His family of friends include Paul Hufford, Lori Simon-Hufford, Dotty Quiroga and Doug Dettmann. Please visit Dave’s web page at www.lifestorynet.com to share a favorite memory or photo, sign the guest book, or make a contribution to the American Cancer Society.