David Chalmers Regester's Obituary
David Chalmers Regester passed away peacefully on February 23, 2022, at Mercy Hospital, Muskegon, MI with his loving family by his side. The son of Rev. Samuel D. Regester and Svea Pearl Regester, David was born on December 28, 1941, in Pittsburgh, PA.
Dave will be remembered by many friends and family as a caring, loving and humble man, with a great sense of humor. His childhood days were spent in Troy and Emporium, PA. He graduated from Denison University, Granville, OH, in 1963. He met the love of his life, Jean McLellan, at Ohio University, Athens, OH in 1964, and married her on August 28, 1965. They lived 4 years at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, while Dave earned his Ph.D in Clinical Psychology in 1969. They spent the rest of their married life in Western Michigan (in Jenison and Spring Lake) where he spent a few years at the Counseling Center, GVSU, Allendale, MI, and then opened his own private practice, Regester and Associates in Grandville, MI. He spent over 30 years, positively impacting the lives of countless clients, as well as mentoring several newer psychologists in launching their own respective practices. He was a life-long student of A Course in Miracles (acim.org). He enjoyed playing many racquet sports, including pickleball, as well as being near, in, or on Lake Michigan in his kayak. Hiking, walking and biking kept him physically active his whole life. He and Jean spent over 30 years traveling in various sized RVs to all four corners of the US, and everywhere in between, making countless memories of their time together in so many beautiful places. Music was his “soul” connection and lives on in his family—he played trumpet in high school, sang in the Schubert Male Chorus, Grand Rapids, MI, for many years, and played drums and percussion with a steel drum band, Steel Doin’ It, in the tri-Cities area of Western Michigan for 10 years, as well as for his own pleasure in his basement, taking care to not play too loudly to disturb his next door neighbor! He loved his family unconditionally and delighted in the many pursuits each family member accomplished. Dave was the ultimate personification of LOVE.
Dave is remembered and missed by his loving wife, Jean, and adored by his adult children Craig (Vickie Novell) and Kristen (Chris Detmer) and three grandchildren, Samuel and Sophia Novell-Regester of Berkley, MI, Sofia Detmer of Chicago; his cousin, Susan Regester of St. Petersburg, FL; his brother- and sister-in-law, Daniel and Carol Ewing, his brother-in-law, Donald McLellan (Sandy Sutherland), his nieces (Amy Ewing and Molly Roberts(Tim) and nephew Ben Ewing (Leah Dunham). He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Bruce, in 2002.
A Celebration of Life Gathering will take place from 1 - 4 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Memorial contributions may be made in Dave’s memory to: Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org), Ottawa County Parks and Recreation (ocparks@miottawa.org) and Seven Steps Up (sevenstepsup.com). Arrangements entrusted to the Spring Lake Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 213 E. Savidge St., Spring Lake, MI 49456. Share memories with the family at their online guest book at www.sytsemafh.com.
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