GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts announced its former executive director has died.

David Abbott, pillar in the Grand Rapids art community and known for his impeccable fashion sense, was facing his seventh bout of cancer since he was 20 years old. This time, it was pancreatic cancer.

“David was passionate about the local arts community and bringing us all together. His kindness and remarkable contributions to West Michigan will be a loss for us all, and he will always be remembered for doing these things with an undeniable sense of style,” the festival wrote in a Facebook post.

Former Festival of the Arts leader faces seventh round with cancer

Abbott first led the festival in 2019 and “gave it everything he had,” the post read, celebrating Festival of the Arts’ 50th year and developing a plan for the future. He resigned in 2021 to focus on fighting his sixth cancer diagnosis.

Sunday was the final day of this year’s Festival of the Arts.

“We felt him smiling down on us during this perfect last day of Festival 2024,” the post read.

Services for Abbott will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids on June 16 at 3 p.m.

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