David Dehart

David Joseph DeHart, age 49 years of Niles, Michigan, loving husband and father, son, and brother died unexpectedly on Thursday morning, April 7, 2022 while on spring break with his family in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, near Mammoth Cave.  His family is grateful for the efforts of the emergency services staff, and they made the decision to enhance and extend the lives of others through the local Donate Life organization.

He was born on January 22, 1973 in South Bend, Indiana to David J. and Helen A. (Toth) DeHart.  He overcame a challenging path through education to earn an Associates Degree from Lake Michigan College.  He was certified as a Journeyman Tool and Die Maker, and was currently employed at Techniplas, LLC in Mishawaka, Indiana – formerly Nyloncraft, Inc as a design engineer.  He has lived in this area all of his life.

David enjoyed cooking on the grill and had perfected a method for barbeque ribs, but radio control vehicles was even more fascinating.  He built and operated radio-controlled boats and cars, and both airplanes and the very challenging helicopters which he operated with great skill. Down to earth, he was talented on both the snowboard and skateboard.  His greatest joy was his family, and he was very proud of his children and their successes, and his wife of whom he was exceptionally proud.

On May 13, 2006 in Marcellus, Michigan he married the former Brianne Michelle Shields with whom he celebrated last year the fifteenth anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes wife, Brianne DeHart and their children, Alaina DeHart, Caden DeHart, and Ella DeHart; his mother, Helen DeHart-Moore of South Bend and his father, David (& Jane) DeHart of Marcellus; Brianne’s parents, Michael (& Eileen) Shields, Jr. of Dowagiac and Shirley (& Cordis) Jones of Pullman; David’s siblings, Paul (& Jennifer) DeHart of Osceola, John DeHart, and Mark DeHart, both of Mishawaka; step-sisters Laura (& Mark) Weaver, Lisa (& Michael) Brammer, and Beth (& Rick) Badics; and Brianne’s brother, Ian (& Kelly) Shields of Atlanta, Georgia; step-brother Matt French of Dowagiac, and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

The funeral service for David DeHart will be at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at Summit Church, 1700 West River Road in Niles with Associate Pastor Chuck Zook of the church officiating.  The service will be available livestreamed at: https://www.facebook.com/halbritterwickensfuneralservices/ .

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles; and beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday at the church.  Contributions in memory of David may be made to Summit Church, 1700 West River Road, Niles, Michigan  49120; https://summitniles.com/ .  Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

David enjoyed many things in life, and happily excelled at some, but more importantly he loved the people in his life, telling others about the wonders of Alaina, Caden, and Ella, and about the amazing difference that Brianne made in his life.

To view David's memorial video https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/K5FLCLBSNK84G9R3