David Bainbridge

Published 4:49 pm Monday, July 15, 2024

Oct. 8, 1947-July 12, 2024

David S. Bainbridge, 76, of South Bend, passed away on Friday, July 12, 2024, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, IN.
David was born on Oct. 8, 1947, in Dowagiac, MI. He spent his early life in his beloved Cass County Michigan, later attending Dowagiac Union High School, Southwestern Michigan College, and Western Michigan University.
In the early 1980s David moved to South Bend, where he was curator at the Northern Indiana Historical Society, in the Old Courthouse Museum. In his time there Dave helped the museum grow into the W. Washington Street campus it is today. He was especially proud of his work as lead curator of the History Museum’s Abraham Lincoln exhibit, and for securing permission to include an original copy of the Gettysburg Address.
The other highlight of David’s time at the museum was meeting Carol E. (Ford) Pickerl there. They were married — at the museum — on August 5, 1995.
David’s lifelong passion for history and material culture was evident in his many books, antiques, and holiday collections. More than any object, though, David loved people, finding community in other collectors, neighbors, and his many friends and family.
Preceding him in death were his father — Delbert E. Bainbridge; mother — Lola M. (Haas) Bainbridge Lyons; step-father — Harrison Lyons; brother — Charles Bainbridge; and twin-sister — Susan Bainbridge (as an infant).
Surviving are his wife of 28 years — Carol Bainbridge; three children — Andrea (Benn Angon) Bainbridge; Elizabeth (Thaddeus) Claggett; and Jonathan (Joni) Pickerl; three grandchildren – Joseph Angon, Emily (Jesse) Yancy and Robbie Claggett; sister – Brenda Madaj; and several nieces, nephews and extended family.
A service to celebrate Dave’s life will be held at 12 p.m. (Eastern time) on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Clark Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes, 405 Center St, Dowagiac, MI, where friends may visit with the family from 10 a.m. until the time of services. Interment will be in Bly Cemetery, Marcellus, MI. Memorial contributions in Dave’s name may be directed to the Underground Railroad Society of Cass County (www.urscc.org), where he was a founding board member. Please visit Dave’s personalized webpage to share a memory or leave a condolence to his family at www.clarkch.com