Without Dave Thompson, there would be no Lake Allegan Association. Dave, together with his devoted, whip smart wife Bette, started the association to fight the noise pollution caused by the state’s mishandled renovation of Echo Point. Dave persisted against the Department of Natural Resources’ resistance. For years, DNR claimed that noise wasn’t worse, DNR made no mistakes and had no money, but Dave kept up the pressure. Eventually, DNR acknowledged the noise increase and found the money to add sound abatement to the gun range. Along the way, Dave gently guided the association to its birth and then bowed out of leadership so younger folks could take the wheel.

 

Dave Thompson died on May 6, 2025, in his backyard, on the land he loved, in the town where he spent the majority of his life.

 

Dave was a Renaissance man. A veteran of Vietnam, a business executive, a historian, a community activist, a writer and an artist. Dave pioneered the use of information technology, bringing computers to the Borgess health system in the 1970s, when computers were both unfamiliar and room-sized. Dave was also passionate about Allegan history, working with Bette to restore the Jewett School in the John Pahl Historical Village at the Allegan County Fair. He was also an accomplished painter and photographer, and wrote several books on Allegan and one-room school houses.

 

Dave was a good, good man. Humble and introspective, opinionated, smart and honest. All of the qualities you hope to find in a friend, parent, colleague and partner. So many of us around Lake Allegan were lucky to call him our friend.

 

The Lake Allegan community grieves with Bette, his daughters and grandchildren, as well as his many friends.

 

Please join us in attending his visitation and memorial on May 24, 2025, at the Thompson home: 3821 118th Avenue, Allegan, Michigan. Information about the service is here.