David A. Reiser

Visitation for David Reiser, 88, of Palatine since 1965, will be held Friday, September 25, 2026, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 201 N. Northwest Highway, Palatine. Prayers will begin Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. also at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, and then proceeding to St. Theresa Catholic Church, 455 N. Benton Street, Palatine, IL, 60067, for a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. The Interment will be private.

David was born June 12, 1938, in Washburn, North Dakota, and passed away, Sunday, September 13, 2026, in Deer Park, Illinois.

David was the beloved husband of the late Barbara Reiser (nee: Paris), loving father of son Mike (Patty Koehler Reiser) and daughter, the late Patti Reiser; loving grandfather of Matthew and Michael Reiser; dear son of the late Reinhold and Theckla (nee: Kowash) Reiser; fond brother of the late Leore Reiser, the late Ramona Snyder (nee Reiser) and the late Danuel Reiser.

David grew up in Washburn North Dakota playing baseball with the American Legon team and football with his high school team and of course developing his love for music. David graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Minot State University in Minot, ND and began his high school teaching career in Mohall, ND where he met and married his wife, Barabra. He then moved with his new family to Grand Forks, ND where he completed his master’s degree. From there he moved to Palatine, Illinois and would spend the next 30+ years teaching choral music at Palatine High School and serving as the District 211 Chairman for the Music Department. In the early 70s David and some students wrote a musical – Robin Hood – which was successfully performed by his students at Palatine HS. In 1976 he and his new writing partner, Jack Sharkey wrote his next musical, Betsy, a musical about Betsy Ross for the bicentennial and again performed with his high school students. From there David wrote more than 50 published musicals with 2 off Broadway productions in New York and 2 performances in London.

To say he’s touched the lives of thousands of people thru his work and teaching would be an understatement. He never went out of his home without being recognized by a former student – even randomly once when traveling to DisneyWorld with his grandchildren. When he wasn’t teaching David was a member of the Rotary Club, cantored Mass at St Theresa Catholic Church, wrote musicals and arranged countless songs for his groups to perform.

We are all comforted in the knowledge that he is reunited with his wife, daughter and the rest of his family but his energy and love for his family, music, his students and teaching will be deeply missed by all.