David F. Blanden

David Ford Blanden, DDS, entered this world on March 19, 1945, the first-born son of Francelia J. (Ford) Blanden, RN and Merwin R. Blanden, MD.  He made his transition from this life via sudden cardiac arrest at his home on November 14, 2025.

David, born and raised in Tecumseh, graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1963. He played football and excelled in golf both at school and as a junior member of Tecumseh Country Club.  He graduated from Alma College in 1967 where, again, he excelled in golf as a team member, winning the 1967 MIAA Golf Championship.  He was also a proud member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. He graduated from University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in 1971.  

1972 was a pivotal year for David. He returned to Tecumseh to begin his private dental practice in February, then on April 22, he took Barbara Jean Baker, a 1964 Alma grad, as his bride. Then he and Barbara began a shared adventure of lives well lived.

Committed to lifelong learning, David became certified in all areas of dentistry, taking classes at unique venues throughout the country, including graduating from the Carl Misch, DDS, Implant Institute.  David (and his assistants Beccy, Lisa, and Tammie) took great pride in serving patients’ dental needs for 44 years.  

He was community oriented as well.  In the late 1970s David became involved in rebuilding the Tecumseh Area Chamber of Commerce along with John DaMelio and Roger Proctor, serving as president in 1978 and 1979.  He maintained his chamber membership until his retirement in March 2016 at age 71 – not bad for someone who planned to retire at age 50!

David gave up golf in the early 1980s and he and Barbara took up camping and traveling. They camped all around the U.S., all through Canada including Newfoundland and Labrador, a month in Alaska, and a month on both islands of New Zealand.  They camped in all 48 states out of their Astro van (and later, the Suburban) and visited Hawaii when neighbor Veda Anderson was in residence.  He loved traveling in general – especially the Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Anegada, the Galapagos Islands, and train trips throughout Europe – always grateful for the opportunity to explore and experience Planet Earth.

David was a daily meditator and a certified Reiki Master since the early 1990s, skills he learned at the Lighthouse Center (Whitmore Lake).  

In retirement, David rediscovered his passion for fishing, both angular and fly. He looked forward to outings with Captain Jay, Robert D and brother-in-law Lee on Lake Erie.  He and Barbara were avid snowmobilers for 48 years, often going to the Upper Peninsula around Grand Marais and Wetmore, and using a map and a compass to explore the Hiawatha National Forest.  

David also would never turn down a bridge game.  Upon retirement, David and Barbara joined the Ann Arbor City Club and began learning contract bridge.  But when COVID arrived in 2020, that game was over. So he became an avid reader never without a book.

Less than two weeks after retiring in 2016, David became a volunteer driver two days a week for Tecumseh’s Meals on Wheels (MoW) program, continuing until he fractured his L4 vertebra in March 2022.  His activities became limited over the following years due to complications with his back injury, but he was happy to ride shotgun with Barbara for MoW deliveries.

David was a man of his word with an incredible sense of humor.  In fact, his sense of humor served as his “North Star” throughout his life.  Thirty-plus years ago, a young Mortuary Sciences student needed her wisdom teeth removed.  Being a friend of the family, she asked David for a second opinion.  “Yes, they need to come out,” he told her. He added, “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take out your wisdom teeth if you will be my mortician when my time is up.” That deal was honored when mortician Becca Ward Temrowski, of Temrowski Family Funeral Home (Fenton, Mich.) handled David’s final arrangements 30 years later.

Acccording to David’s wishes, he had a green burial on November 19, 2025, at The Preserve at All Saints’ Cemetery in Waterford, Michigan. This is the only green burial grounds in Michigan recognized by the National Green Burial Association. Green burial is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial and/or cremation.

David is survived by Barbara, his wife of 53 years; brother-in-law Lee Britton; best friend John Britton; nieces and nephews Christy (Bill), Marc, Todd, Nick, Zack, Erin, A.C., Matt, and Holly; and cousins Betsey (Phil), John, and Alice.

A celebration of life is being planned; stay tuned.