With profound grief & deep sorrow, we inform the sad demise of
Dave (Gurdev) Chahil
Detroit Ford Top Engineer & Scientist Dies at 88

Dear friends,

CHAHIL, Gurdev “Dave” Singh, age 88, of Allen Park, Michigan, USA, February 04, 2023. Beloved husband of Avenell Chahil.  Loving father of Gregory (Susan) Chahil, Karen (Wayne) Webb and Karla Trombley. Dear grandfather of Jennifer, Tracie (Eric), Rebecca, David, Euriana, Lauren and Liam. Dearest great grandfather of Wyatt, Hunter, Veyda and Avery.

Dave is also survived by his siblings Jaswant “Jimmy” Chahil, Hakim Chahil and Sakinder Grewal. Gurdev “Dave” came to the U.S. from India in 1948 at the age of 14. He was born in 1934, at Khanpur Village, Dist. Ludhiana, Punjab.

He graduated from Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan then attended Henry Ford Community College also in Dearborn and finally Wayne State University in Detroit where he received his Bachelor Degree majoring in Metallurgy.

His career was spent with the Ford Motor Company where he was employed for 41 years before retiring. He began working in the foundry at the Rouge facility in Dearborn and soon moved to the Ypsilanti plant where he retired as a section supervisor in the metallurgical lab. He was respected by both hourly and salaried employees for his fairness and knowledge. Dave took his job very seriously and would never own anything but a Ford. Before starting his career at Ford Motor Company he briefly drove a taxi and enjoyed the interaction with the people he was able to meet. He was an excellent provider for his family and continuously encouraged young relatives to get a good education. He was preceded in death by his parents Sarwan and Bachant Chahil, and his brothers Gurbachan “Butch” Chahil and Theera Chahil. His cremation will take place at “The Witness Crematory” located inside of Michigan Memorial Funeral Home.

Bob Bowen, Chairman, UAW Local 849, Retired Workers Chapter wrote:

Dave Chahil, a dear man who we worked with passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2023. Dave managed Quality Control's Chemical and Physical Labs at the Ypsilanti Plant for many years. For a short time Dave was my supervisor.
During that time I grew to appreciate his knowledge and talents. He was a patient instructor, who knew that a novice could not master everything that the labs required, in a few days. I learned a lot in a short time from Dave. But the most important thing I learned was that it was better to be kind than brilliant.

Dave was a humanitarian at heart and a firm believer that the UAW was a blessing, not only to the hourly employees but the salaried as well. His son, Greg, wants you to know that his dad advised him to pursue a career where he could be a union man. Greg followed his advice, and became a UAW Tool and Diemaker at the Ypsilanti Plant.