David "Tiny" Roy Aliff

On July 21, 2025, at 2 a.m., David Roy Aliff—known to most simply as “Tiny”—passed away suddenly on the way to the hospital after his heart gave out. He was 68 years old.

Born on May 7, 1957, in Sandusky, Ohio, David lived a big life with an even bigger heart. Though his given name was David, few people actually called him that. Most knew him as Tiny—a nickname he earned during his long career at ExxonMobil, where he worked in the lab and eventually retired in 2023. If you ever met someone from ExxonMobil and asked if they knew "David Aliff," you might get a blank stare. But if you asked about "Tiny," chances are they'd smile and tell you a story or two. Everyone knew Tiny—and no one had anything but good things to say about him.

In his younger years, David drove trucks cross-country and earned awards for safe driving and extra certifications. He was proud of that time in his life, but ExxonMobil was where he really found his second family. And though he was known professionally as a hard worker, those who loved him best knew that he never quite outgrew what we now recognize as undiagnosed ADHD. After retiring, he filled his days with half-finished projects and impulse buys he didn’t need and probably never used—but that’s just who he was. He found joy in the pursuit.

David loved Jesus deeply and was devoted to his church family at Victory Family Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He especially loved welcoming new faces and serving on the production team—somehow, the only place he ever showed up on time. For just about everything else, he was famously late. His family often told him events started 30 minutes earlier than they actually did, just to get him there close to on time.

He loved big, even if he wasn’t great at saying it out loud. You knew he cared if he called to tell you about a sale or if he showed up with a gift, or better yet—ready to help you fix something. He gave generously, especially to organizations that helped children around the world. He donated monthly to Legacy Parenting Center’s Hope Club and was a big supporter of Samaritan’s Purse’s Shoebox Ministry—one of his favorite ways to serve each year.

Food was one of David’s love languages. He loved to cook for people, and he was good at it. He was always the first to volunteer when an event needed food. Sure, it probably wouldn't be there on time, but it was always worth the wait. He found joy in bringing people together around a dinner table.

David was also a man who never met a stranger. He had an unmatched gift for making people feel seen and welcomed. Whether it was his church family, a new face at Aldi (his favorite place on Earth), or someone he met on a beach in the Caribbean—he left people smiling. He loved the sun, the sand, the music, and the joy of Caribbean life.

He is survived by his son David Aliff II and wife Cherry of Dallas, Texas; daughter Debra Wickware and husband Jacob of Shawnee, Oklahoma; stepsons Edward Burns of Lake Station, Indiana, and Bobby Burns and wife Susan of Lake Station, Indiana; stepdaughter Brenda Burbage and husband Roger of Menominee, Michigan; and his brother Mark Aliff of Cedar Lake, Indiana. He was a beloved grandfather to Jamie, Alicia, Hannah, Derick, Jeremy, Jason, Chrissy, Michael, Kelvy, Veronica, Brandon, Andi, Emily, Eric, Jacquelyn, and EJ—as well as a proud great-grandfather to many. He also leaves behind a large extended family of nieces, nephews, and friends who felt like family.

David is preceded in death by his daughter Bekah Wickware; his parents, Richard and Barbara Aliff; his brother Nathan Aliff; his great grandson Porter Macon and his wife, Mary Aliff.

He answered to many names: David, Dave, Tiny, Daddy-Aliff—but his favorite names were Dad and Grandpa. His absence leaves a space that simply can’t be filled.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on August 2nd at Victory Family Church, 2301 E. Highland St., Shawnee, Oklahoma.

In lieu of flowers, David would have preferred donations in his memory to:

• *Victory Family Church Shawnee’s Building Campaign
• *Legacy Parenting Center (Hope Club)
• *Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Ministry
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He lived big, laughed loud, gave freely, and loved without hesitation—even if he didn’t always say it with words. We’ll miss him every single day.