David Brummer

David Ambrose Brummer

Dec. 26, 1966-Dec. 18, 2025

David Ambrose Brummer of Chicago kept his loved ones smiling with his wit, generosity, and unyielding confidence in their every move. They were at his side as he died Dec. 18, 2025 at home, following days of music, storytelling, theatrical readings, and prayers, a mere mortal attempt to honor his magnanimous love and fuel his trip to the heavens.

David was born Dec. 26, 1966, in Effingham, Illinois, the youngest of George and Elizabeth "Betty" Brummer's three children. He grew up with boundless energy, running between his and his grandparents' house on a livestock, corn and soybean farm, playing trumpet in marching band, and showing cattle at the annual county fair while also cultivating a dream to someday become a big city newspaper journalist. He realized that dream in Houston and Chicago, but his most cherished roles were as husband to wife, Mary Ann Fergus, and dad to their daughter, Olivia Claire. They survive him as well as his mother, his sister Jennifer Hunzinger (Bob) and his brother, Tony (Shelley), seven beloved nieces and nephews, four great nieces and nephews, cherished aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. Oh, and Luca, the family's knucklehead Black Labrador. He is preceded in death by his father, and his grandparents; Ambrose and Laura Brummer and Bernard and Marie Ochs, and another shiny black dog that we trust David is now holding.

David and Mary met in a newsroom, bonding over their passion and belief in the power of storytelling and falling in love over long conversations filled with laughter. They married July 4,1998 in Chicago, supporting each other's growth as writers and as individuals, and reveling in parenthood, long walks, nights out appreciating Chicago's live theater and music scene. David paid homage to his rural upbringing in keeping a backyard vegetable garden, and as a skilled chef, folded his harvest into diverse dishes for his family that sometimes didn't even match his preferred palette.

As a dad, David showed unconditional love and enthusiasm through his daughter's every pursuit-from riding a bike to driving a car, and studying fine arts. He taught her that love is a verb and passed on his acute ear for rhythm in both music and the written word. By his side and in his arms, she always felt safe.

David graduated from Newton Community High School and Eastern Illinois University. He was a gifted writer, page designer, editor, and collaborative leader at The Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, the Houston Chronicle in Texas, and the Associated Press in Chicago. For the past 20 years, he oversaw magazine stories for a variety of publications, most recently serving as a senior content director for the MX Group. Throughout his career, David earned awards, accolades, the respect and friendship of colleagues who enjoyed his take on the work itself amid detours to talk politics, sports, music, and, most often, family.

Friends loved David's authenticity and could count on him to meet compliments with humility and lighthearted retort. Over the years, however, his authentic German-American roots merged with Mary's Irish heritage. Inexplicably, he would be the guy chosen to hold the Irish flag in a Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade when marching with Irish dancers, and soon he was flying his own version at home each March. In recent years, David replaced his marching band trumpet for the soft beat of a bodhrán, or Irish drum, and joined music sessions across town.

David was taken from us so early due to complications of a relentless bully of an autoimmune condition that came out of nowhere early this year and that we can barely pronounce - Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis - a disease as rare as David himself. Over the past 12 months, David endured long hospital stays, endless tests and treatments like he did all other challenges - with determination, cheeky resolve, and absolute trust in his (care) team. If we can all still call 58 "young," then David certainly met the criteria for that old saying about `only the good.' We will miss him every second.

Visitation Saturday, January 3, 9:30am until the service begins at 11am at All Saints Episcopal Church, 4550 N. Hermitage, Chicago.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in David's honor to the Histiocytosis Association, Inc. (https://histio.org/) or help our neighbors in need through Ravenswood Community Services (https://ravenswoodcommunityservices.org/).

Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-318-1305 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.