David Eugene Watts, 77, passed away on September 15, 2026, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, with Dawn Knapp, his partner of 12 years and best friend, lovingly by his side.

Born to Wayne Rudolph Watts and Evelyn Louise Gangloff Watts, David grew up in Logansport, Indiana, before moving to Lafayette, where he graduated from Lafayette Jefferson High School. He also studied psychology at Purdue University and served in the United States Air Force in intelligence from 1969 to 1973.

David moved to Colorado in 1979, eventually making Conifer his home from 1986 to 2008, when he moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. He spent his career in the automotive parts industry, primarily as a Parts Manager with Burt Toyota, and finished his career with Grant Automotive in Morrison, Colorado.

Free-spirited and adventurous, David spent much of his retirement exploring the country by car and RV. He loved nature, photography, meeting people along the way, and simply finding a beautiful place to sit and take in the world around him. He found great joy in making others laugh and bringing a smile to the faces of those around him.

Music was a lifelong love. From learning to play the clarinet as a child to creating meditative melodies with his angel harp on the edge of the Grand Canyon, David was drawn to instruments of all kinds. Music was also an expression of his deep spirituality, which he shared through church gatherings, meditation, and healing services.

David had a gentle, caring nature and a genuine desire to help others. He volunteered with the sheriff's department and in hospitals, where he played music and spent time with hospice patients. He found great purpose in offering companionship and comfort to people in their final moments. His empathy, integrity, and commitment to living by his values touched the lives of those who knew him.

David is survived by his daughters, Tanya, Sonia, and Brittany; grandsons, Cooper, Rhys, and Everett; his partner, Dawn; and brothers, Walter and Thomas. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Louann.

In keeping with David's wishes, there will be no traditional service. Instead, his family hopes those who knew him will celebrate his life by sharing a favorite memory, finding a reason to smile, or simply sitting somewhere beautiful and enjoying the moment.

Friends may leave condolences and tributes to David’s family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com

The family has chosen Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron Mountain, MI, to honor David’s legacy of life.