David Boruta

When reflecting on the life of David Boruta, it is easy to see the unending love he had for the family who was his greatest source of pride and joy. He worked hard in everything he did, but he also took the time to enjoy life along the way. Dave treasured his roles as a husband and father, but he was just as excited to be a “Jaja” to the grandchildren he adored. Although he will be deeply missed, he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

With the end of WWII in 1945, there was much to celebrate. Not only were America and our allies victorious, the dark days of the Great Depression of the 1930s were also a thing of the past. The country was making a shift to being a nation at peace, and the baby boom was underway. It was during this transitional time that Chester and Stella (Pieckiel) Boruta were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named David Michael on September 4, 1947, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One of the middle children, Dave had an older brother and two sisters. His father was a firefighter while his mother focused her time and attention at home.

Raised in the family home on the West Side, Dave was a typical young boy of his generation. He attended Sacred Heart School and then West Catholic High School. What was of great significance during Dave’s formative years was how he learned the value of hard work as well as the value of a dollar. He had a paper route and did other things as he learned to work for what he wanted. Later in life he taught others the valued concept that setting goals and the prize of achievement for those goals was more satisfying than simply acquiring possessions. He loved tinkering and had a car before he had a license as he found one that he was able to fix up.

Not to be forgotten during Dave’s years in school was his introduction to the young girl who would one day become his wife. Her name was Patricia “Patty” Bechtold, and they met in the eighth grade. After high school Dave went to Grand Rapids Junior College and then on to University of Michigan Dearborn where he studied to become a mechanical engineer. The program required several alternating seasons of traditional schooling and internships at other locations. It was also during this time that Dave finally married his sweetheart, Patty, on October 11, 1968, at St James Church. They took a honeymoon to Hawaii. As they settled in together, they had the opportunity one fall to live at Patty’s family cottage in Grand Haven while he was serving his internship at Brunswick in Muskegon. This was a dream come true as they loved that area and Dave and Patty had always loved the beach and Lake Michigan.

Once Dave finished his school, they were so excited for all that life had in store. They eventually settled into their longtime home on Emmett Street in Grand Haven. There, Dave and Patty raised their three children, David, Michael, and Patrick. To support his family Dave worked at Brunswick for several years before joining Herman Miller where he spent the bulk of his working days before retiring after 34 years. As a car lover, he had several different cars, and he enjoyed making the drive to Zeeland every day for work. Dave loved everything about cars, from tinkering and working on them to taking them out on the open road.

Family was everything to Dave. His kids always thought that he knew everything. Dave did let them know that although he didn’t know everything he was always willing to try. If he messed something up, he believed there was always a lesson to learn. Dave wasn’t afraid to try fixing anything, even if it seemed to be beyond his abilities. Although he had high expectations for his boys and they didn’t like disappointing him, he also did everything he could to make the things they wanted possible. As a family they enjoyed a few vacations when the kids were young, and among their most memorable trips were their trips to Hawaii and many to Leland, Michigan. Dave tried to coordinate his work trips so they could have them be family vacations as well. As a young family they recognized that living in Grand Haven gave them their own little piece of heaven. They loved going to the beach, and even there Dave couldn’t be still as he was known to bring yard tools so he could build huge sand castles! Although he had a few close friends from work, both he and Patty loved being home as a family more than anything else. One of his favorite things was to tinker around the house on weekends as he was always looking to improve things both on the inside of the house and out.

Once the kids were older, he and Patty continued to enjoy spending time together. They moved into a new house on North Shore Drive, just across the street from Lake Michigan. This gave Dave even more projects and space to create beautiful gardens with Patty. He and his wife had a deep fondness for Hawaii, and they continued to spend more time there, sometimes for several months at a time. It was truly their shared piece of paradise. Dave loved being a grandpa, and his grandchildren affectionately called him “Jaja.” In fact, Dave always loved kids in general and was very close to his nieces and nephews. He spent several years caring for Patty including tending to the gardens largely on his own when it became too difficult for her. When Dave was later diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (“PSP”), their roles reversed as Patty needed to care for him. This was a difficult transition for them both, but they made it work. Sadly, Patty was diagnosed with leukemia and died in May of this past year.

All who knew David Boruta would agree that he was a man who was deeply devoted to his family. He could be a bit stubborn at times, but he was a passionate man who deeply cared for the people and things he believed in. Dave could be a bit frugal at times, but he certainly knew how to find pieces of heaven right here on earth. A kind, generous, and selfless man, he will be forever missed.

David M Boruta, age 72 of Grand Haven, passed away March 6, 2020. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patty in 2019. David is survived by his children David (Tracy) Boruta; Michael (Nicole Gans) Boruta; Patrick (Casey Nousain) Boruta; grandchildren Jonah, Eva and Matthew; brothers Bob (Arleen) Boruta, Chris (Fay) Rogers; sister, Nancy (Bob) Demmink, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Margo (Paul) Heitzman, Sheri (Jay) Vree, Jack (Cindy) Bechtold; as well as many nieces and nephews. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 14 at 11:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Spring Lake, 406 E Savidge Street. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Friday at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW from 5-7:30 PM where a Scripture service will begin at 7:30 PM. Friends may also visit at the church beginning at 10:30 AM. Memorial contributions to CurePSP are appreciated. His family expresses their gratitude to the staff at Green Acres in Allendale and all the caregivers who have loved and supported David in these last few difficult years. To read more about David’s life, to share a memory or photo, or to sign his guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com