David Lee Ammen
Thu, 04/30/2020 - 11:30am
Heraldgroton
David Lee Ammen, 94, of Cotuit moved on, after an extended illness, to the land of checkered flags, holes in one, bacon and ice cream while surrounded by his family on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. He was the loving husband to his first wife of 42 years and mother of his children, the late Judy Brown Ammen. He was also the husband of the late Eleanor Pope Ammen to whom he was married for 14 years.
Growing up in Hopedale, David attended Andover Academy. He enlisted in the Navy and went to Yale University in the V12 Program, graduating after two years in 1946 with a degree in mechanical engineering. While at Yale, he founded the Yale Alley Cats, an a cappella singing group which remains active to this day. In 1960 David bought Insco Corporation and developed it from a small machine shop into a company manufacturing precision gears and gear drive systems with his dear friend and racing partner Gary Rutherford, the company president.
David was active in the Sports Car Club of America for more than 30 years as a driver and race official. In 2019, he was inducted into their Hall of Fame. At other times in his life, he was an avid golfer, last playing in February, and he also enjoyed sailing and boating. With his wife Eleanor, travel became a passion, highlighted by a European canal cruise and grand gathering at Highclere Castle.
He is survived by his daughter and her husband, Julie and Jeffrey Breneiser of Reading, PA; son and his wife, Jonathan (“Jay”) Ammen and Heather Chatfield Ammen of Lincoln; grandchildren, Avery Breneiser, Durst Breneiser, and Breylen Ammen; and sister, Frances Curtiss of Atlanta, GA. David is also survived by his step children Katie Pelletier of Danvers, and David Switzer of Lake Worth, FL, and pre-deceased by stepson Jonathan Pope Switzer, NY, NY.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Gorlin Syndrome Alliance, P.O. Box 4, Reading, PA 19607 (www.gorlinsyndrome. org) or the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center Integrative Oncology Program, 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805.
For online guest book, please visit johnlawrencefuneralhome.com
Comment Policy:
Please send comments to grotonherald@gmail.com