David Spink

David B. Spink, of Platteville, passed away with family by his side, on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at his home where he was born 86 years ago. Funeral services will be held at 4:00pm on Friday, April 7 at the Platteville Free Methodist Church. Pastors Jeff Suits and Matt Wunderlin will officiate. Chapel Military rites will be accorded by American Legion Post 42 and VFW Post 5274. Burial will be at Big Patch Cemetery, Smelser Township, at a later date. Friends may call from 4:00pm - 6:30pm on Thursday at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville and at 3:00pm until the time of service at the church. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the David B. Spink Memorial Fund.

David, our beloved, was born on April 23, 1936 in Smelser Township, son of Leslie and Gretta (Thomas) Spink. David attended Big Patch rural school and graduated from Platteville High School in 1954. On August 30, 1963, he married his love, Karen Zirkelbach, at the First Baptist Church of Maquoketa, Iowa. His priorities in life were God, family, and the farm. He was an active member of Free Methodist Church in Platteville. He accepted his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as a teenager at a camp meeting. He started each day by reading a daily Proverb from the Bible. He was very inquisitive and would always have challenging questions to bring to his pastors, family, and friends. In addition, he loved a play on words especially with his grandchildren and foster children. David was voted “Best Dad Ever” among his 8 children. He considered all of his children and their spouses and all of his grandchildren as abundant blessings from the Lord. David and Karen were privileged to have fostered more than 100 children over a 35 year span.

After starting on his parents' farm, he bought the family farm in 1964 and farmed it the rest of his life. Being inventive, he would find ways to make, fix, or improve anything he could around the farm. He enjoyed driving bus for Platteville Schools for many years as well. He served as Chairman of the board for Smelser Township and was an assessor in Smelser and Mifflin Townships. David served in the 32D ‘Red Arrow' Infantry Division of the Army National Guard, and was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis in 1961. He enjoyed visiting family (including extended family), near and far, and appreciated when family would come visit the homestead. For several years he and Karen enjoyed going to family camp at Sky Lodge Christian Camp. David spent time each day reading, which included Christian mystery novels. He kept up with current news on TV, and watched reruns of favorite shows like The Lone Ranger, Matlock, and Little House on the Prairie as Theodore, his cat, enjoyed naps on his lap.

David is survived by his wife of 59 years, Karen, of Platteville; seven children, Angie (Richard II) Fleming of Ankeny, IA, Kevin (Maria) Spink of Apizaco, Mexico, Kirstin (James) Goldsberry of Dayton, OH, Ben (Csilla) Spink of Mereni, Romania, Heather (Chris) Ringberg of Platteville, Leanne (Jesse) Rewey of Platteville, and Kellie Perleberg (Ethan Schultz) of Platteville; grandchildren, Richard III, Joshua (Amber), Rachel, Rebekah, Ruth, Roselyn, Amanda, Kalman, Klara, Kaszon, Elizabeth, Nicholas, Allison, Andrew, Mark (Lindsey), Bethany, Ashton, Sarah (Russell), Grace, and Greyson; four great-grandchildren; Adelyn, Carter, Abagail and Westley, and two more on the way. He also had twenty-four nieces and nephews, who were near and dear to his heart. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Linette Spink (Sterian); and all ten of his siblings, Joseph, Ruth, Florence, Myrtle, Gordon, Alice, Donald, Esther, Shirley and Carol.