David Dean McPike

David McPike, 93, died at the Health Center of St. Charles, Jasper, Indiana on Friday, July 25, 2025. Funeral services are planned for Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 10:00 AM at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Martinsville, Indiana, the Rev. Nathan Janssen, officiating. Burial with military honors will follow that afternoon at approximately 2:00 pm at Cresthaven Memorial Gardens, Bedford, Indiana, Rev. Nathan Rusert, officiating. Visitation will be at the church; 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday morning.
David Dean McPike was born May 19, 1932 in rural Lawrence County, Indiana, the oldest son of John William and Golda Madge Marie (Hutton) McPike. He graduated from Bedford High School in 1950.
David served his country in the US Navy as a radio operator aboard ship during the Korean War. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one star, China Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Influenced by his days as a radio operator in the Navy, David was an Extra Class licensee in the Amateur Radio Service (N9FOH) for over 40 years, inspiring son and grandson into the hobby as well. On May 25, 2019, the Honor Flight of Southern Indiana recognized the distinguished service of Radioman Second Class McPike by taking him and over 80 other vets to Washington, D.C., where he was thrilled to visit the monument to himself and other Korean War veterans along with the other national war monuments and Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1953, he was catechized and baptized at Calvary Lutheran Church, Bedford. On June 6, 1953, he married the love of his life, Sharon Elaine Herr, at Calvary. They were blessed with nearly 69 years of marriage by the time she died in 2022.
During his naval service, David and Sharon lived briefly in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii before returning to Bedford. David matriculated at Indiana University, Bloomington, resulting in a Baccalaureate Degree in mathematics in 1958.
After graduation, David and Sharon moved to Indianapolis. He spent the majority of his career at Indianapolis Life Insurance Company, retiring in 1989. Finding work as an actuarial assistant unfulfilling, he took advanced accounting classes at IUPUI in the late 1970s and successfully passed the entire battery of examinations for Certified Public Accountant on the first try.
Early in retirement, David did part-time seasonal tax work at Ernst and Young, Indianapolis. He worked as an independent accountant doing primarily tax preparation for many years. He maintained CPA credentials and continued preparing taxes into his mid 80s.
In 1974, David and Sharon moved to Martinsville, where they lived for 36 years. Following the death of his 97 year old mother in 2010, they left Martinsville, splitting their time between homes in Celestine, Indiana and Loxley, Alabama. They moved to Jasper in 2020.
David was a member of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana. David and Sharon were very active as longtime members at Prince of Peace Lutheran, Martinsville. David served his Lord using talents as a CPA at Prince of Peace for many years as treasurer. After leaving the treasurer position, he continued to support tax issues and payroll of both the church and associated daycare, Precious Playmates.
Surviving are his children, Jeffrey McPike (Sharon Griffin) of Philo, Illinois; Julie (David) Clark of Dubois, Indiana; Randall (Kelly) McPike of Swayzee, Indiana; brother, Donald (Jan) McPike of Bloomington, California; Sisters-in-law, Shirley Herr of High Ridge, Missouri and Sara Luallen of Bedford; Grandchildren, Matthew (Emily) Clark of Birdseye, Indiana; Nathan (Jasmine) Clark of Schnellville, Indiana; Sara (Nick) Burger of Dubois; Sara McPike and Ryan McPike, both of Urbana, Illinois; Nicholas (Alyssa) McPike of Greentown, Indiana and Cassie (Evan) Burleigh of Whitestown, Indiana; also six great-grandchildren, Sophia Clark, Weston Clark, Ellowyn McPike, Marlaina McPike, Samuel McPike, and Bensyn Burger.
With angels and with archangels and with all the company of heaven, David joins the great host, arrayed in white in eternity with God, including his father (2004), mother (2010), beloved wife Sharon (2022), oldest son Thomas Dean (1959) and brothers-in-law, Robert Herr (2023) and Randall Herr (2013). Justified by the blood of Christ, David is forevermore in the company of all the saints who from their labors rest.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Martinsville, or Emanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City.