David Soderblom

When reflecting on the life of Dave Soderblom, it is easy to see that he was a lover of people with a genuine heart of gold. Selfless in everything he did, there simply wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his family or friends in need. Often known to pull folks out of the snow and drive nurses and doctors to work in his Jeep or on his snowmobile, Dave spent much of his life in love with Michigan winters. A nature lover, Dave cherished his annual hunting trips in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula as well as off-road racing where he earned many trophies competing over the years. His wisdom, good nature, and loving personality will be dearly missed by his special friends and family.

The Thirties were being marked by tough economic times, yet the decade also saw an expansion of new technologies, especially in the fields of aviation, radio, and film. In 1936 the Boulder Dam, later renamed the Hoover Dam, was completed and Jesse Owens dominated the Berlin Olympics. Bringing great joy to their world, Andrew and Laina Soderblom welcomed home their newborn son David Andrew on the cold winter day of January 14th in Hancock, Michigan. With a father of Swedish heritage and a mother of Finnish heritage, Dave grew up with a love of pasties, Thimbleberry jam, and Nissua, a delicious Finnish bread.

Growing up in Houghton, Michigan makes for an adventurous spirit from a young age. Known to have winters averaging more than five meters of snow, it was no surprise that Dave grew up loving ice hockey! His father supported the family working with Bell Telephone company and volunteering as a fireman. His mother was a homemaker who supported Dave in every hobby and sport! In many ways, Dave’s upbringing was typical of a young boy of his generation where he was known to drive illegally uphill to Houghton High School in his 1930 Plymouth at the age of fourteen! In addition to losing his front teeth to playing hockey in what is known as the birthplace of professional hockey, he also starred on the high school varsity football team as a freshman! Once he completed his high school education, he enlisted in the United States Army where he proudly served post-WWII as a guard on a supply train to West Berlin, Germany. Accustomed to the harsh weather of the Upper Peninsula, Germany proved to be a good fit for Dave.

After he was discharged, Dave relocated to the quaint town of Ann Arbor where he took up employment on an assembly line at the GM Willow Run plant. Never one to turn down an opportunity, Dave agreed to join a friend on a double blind date where he would meet his future wife, Ann. New and exciting changes were in store for the happy couple when they married on March 5, 1960. He and Ann shared a love of family and raised two beautiful daughters together, Deb and Denise. As a father, Dave shared his love of the outdoors and treasured their times camping around Michigan. There was never anything of greater importance to him than his family.

Dave took up many special interests. In addition to his love of four-wheeling, he loved to travel. He toured the mountains in Colorado by Jeep to go rock climbing and traveled with friends to Hawaii. His most memorable trip was his lifetime dream of booking an Alaska Land & Sea Princess Cruise! When he wasn’t traveling, he passed the time watching the Red Wings, Fox news, the Wall Street ticker, reading the Detroit Free Press and watching war movies. However, his favorite times were those he spent with friends drinking beer and playing card games and spending time with his grandchildren; David (Jenni), Rachel, Nathan, Judi, Rose, and Dorothy. He was proud of each and every one of them. Not to be forgotten were his steadfast companions over the years, his dogs Lucky and Bo. They more often than not gave him the feeling of comfort and unconditional love. Dave leaves behind a rich legacy of giving more than receiving and being kind to everyone he met. His wonderful collection of memories will remain in the hearts of his loved ones forever and he will never be forgotten.

David Andrew Soderblom, age 81, a resident of Harrison, passed away peacefully December 30, 2017. Beloved spouse of fifty-seven years to the late Ann. Loving father of Deb (Bryan) and Denise (Ed). Cherished grandfather of David (Jenni), Rachel, Nathan, Judi, Rose, and Dorothy. Dave retired from the Willow Run GM plant after more than thirty years of dedicated service. He was an avid hunter and had a passion for racing Broncos and Jeeps off-road. A visitation will be held on Thursday, from 4-8pm, at Neely Turowski Funeral Home, 30200 Five Mile Rd. (Between Merriman and Middlebelt). A Funeral service will be held Friday at 11 am at the Funeral Home. Family requests donations to be made to Alpha Baptist Church, 28051 W. Chicago St. Livonia, MI 48150 and/or Michigan State Police Troopers Association, 1715 Abbey Rd., Suite B East Lansing, MI 48823. http://www.mspta.net/mstaf/donations/