David Signer

David Signer was a man who believed in making every day the best it could be, and not dwelling on the past or misfortunes. He took joy in life, and nothing seemed to make him happier than to make other people laugh. When asked about the best day of his life, one of his daughters reflected, “I’m not sure that my Dad had any special day he would have named as the greatest of his life. He was the kind of man who tried to make each day the best he could.” Content with whatever the Lord gave him, David was nevertheless blessed to have a truly rich life – rich in friends, rich in family, rich in joys and laughter, and rich in memories.

David’s parents, John and Margaret (Schaeffer) Signer, were Hungarian immigrants who arrived in the United States in the early 1900s. The Signers moved around Wisconsin and Michigan for several years, settling down in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1933. David was born on January 5, 1922, the youngest of five children. He and his older siblings (John, Mary, Elizabeth and Margaret) walked a mile and half every day to attend Sunnyside School, a one-room schoolhouse. It is always difficult starting a new life in a foreign land, and all the Signer children needed to help out at home in order to make ends meet. As a result, after David completed eighth grade he left school and began to work on the farm full-time. Although his childhood was difficult, he and his siblings were blessed with an optimistic and joyful outlook on life.

As a young man, David supported himself by working on the farm and doing masonry work with his father. He was also an avid photographer, making extra money by taking wedding pictures. In his free time, he loved to dance at the Nightingale Ballroom, the local dance hall.

One evening at the Nightingale, a beautiful young woman named Jean Murdock caught David’s eye. David was a talented dancer, and decided that this would be a good moment to show off. He ran up to the stage and jumped off onto the dance floor, landing in the splits! At the end of a night of dancing, David chased Jean out to the car, stole a kiss, and told her that he was going to marry her. He kept his promise, and on June 2, 1945, David and Jean were united in holy matrimony in Palmyra, Wisconsin.

After the wedding, David and Jean moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. David supported them by working as a serviceman for Addressograph Multigraph. It was not long before their first daughter, Barbara, was born, however, and the young couple decided they needed a real home. To this end, they bought land back home in Menomonee Falls, and over the following years David built a house with his own hands. David got a lot of help from his friend, Jim Turek (later David would help Jim build his own house). An admitted perfectionist, David took great pride in his work, which was always high quality.

Over the years, David and Jean were blessed by the births of three more daughters: Carol, Jill and Kate. David was a wonderful father, and never missed a chance to tell his girls how lucky he was to have them – he said God knew what he was doing by giving him four daughters! When the younger members of the Signer family weren’t behaving themselves, their mother liked to threaten them with the phrase, “Wait until your dad gets home!” It wasn’t much of a threat, however, since David was a real softy at heart. He loved to have his daughters plead with him for things they wanted, like an ice cream treat or a fancy dress for the prom. He'd hold out for lots of hugs and kisses, but would inevitably give in.

David was a hard worker, and never let his eighth-grade education hold him back from achieving what he wanted in life. He worked hard on every task, physical or mental, and did not give up until he was successful. Despite being a father and working full-time, he managed to find time to study for a CLU license. He was hired at Metropolitan Life, where he worked for the next twenty years. His sales and leadership skills allowed him to advance to Unit Manager and eventually to District Manager of the Racine/Kenosha office of Metropolitan Life and subsequently he earned his CLU license. He also completed his GED in 1970.

In his free time, David loved to work with wood. He had his own wood shop in the basement, and produced everything from shelves and magazine boxes to letter openers and carved Santa figurines. He always had a project going on, either for Jean or for a friend. A truly generous man, David never turned down anyone who asked for help with a project. Over the years, he created a legacy in furniture and carvings, a legacy that is now treasured by his children and grandchildren.

Active at church, David was a frequent usher and helped with various church projects. Throughout his life, his faith was important to him. He was an active member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Menomonee Falls, St Andrew Lutheran Church in Racine, and St Stephen the Martyr Lutheran Church in Greendale. He lived out Christian values in his daily life, always willing to help someone in need or spend a few minutes making a friend laugh.

Music and dancing also remained important parts of David’s life – the Signer house was always filled with laughter and singing. David and Jean originally met at a dance, and after they were married they loved to throw dance parties of their own. David played the guitar as well, and often led sing-a-longs with the children. Some favorite tunes were “Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes” and “Home on the Range.”

Although David retired from Metropolitan Life in 1982, he still kept himself busy. He did lawn care and apartment maintenance for King Ehrlich Property Management, as well as his own wood-working projects. He loved attending family events such as birthdays, weddings, and reunions. Very proud of his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was never happier than when surrounded by his family members.

Optimistic and hard-working, kind and generous, David Signer was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his many friends and family members.

David passed away on February 16, 2012, at Lake Terrace, Franklin, Wisconsin, at the age of ninety. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jean; and his sister, Margaret (Bill) Guckleberg of Milwaukee. Survivors include his daughters and sons-in-law, Barbara Wisler of Littleton, CO, Carol (John) Drover of Muskego, Jill (Dave) Simanek of Racine, and Kate (Dan) Wilson of Milwaukee; his grandchildren, Tim, Mike, Matt, Dan, and Carly; his great-grandchildren, Dylan, Taylor, Mitchell, Josephine, Madeline and Ethan; his brother, John (Pearl) Signer of Pewaukee; his sisters, Mary (Martin) Baumann of Sun City, AZ, and Elizabeth Trimberger of Hubertus; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 25, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Stephen the Martyr Lutheran Church, 6101 S 51st St, Greendale, WI 53129. Private interment will be held at Graceland Cemetery, Racine. Relatives and friends may meet with the family from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Stephen the Martyr Lutheran Church have been suggested. Condolences may be sent to www.meredithfuneralhome.com. Please visit David’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about his life, leave a memory, and sign the online guestbook.

David’s family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Brenda at Heritage Square and to the caregivers from Allay Hospice.