Alison Scrimgeour Dark, 83, of Grand Rapids, MI, passed away peacefully from kidney failure in Gainesville, FL on January 16th, 2025. She was born on February 12, 1941, to David and Sarah (Wilson) Scrimgeour in Edinburgh, Scotland. After getting her medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1965, she came to the US with two of her medical school classmates for an internship/extended vacation. This turned into a residency in internal medicine at Blodgett Hospital, and then into private practice in Grand Rapids. After an extended courtship and a threat of trading her house for a sportscar, Michael Dark finally asked for her hand in marriage over Christmas 1973. They married on August 17, 1974.
Alison and Mike were perfect complements. Alison’s witty, cerebral humor made her an epic straight-man for Mike’s sense of humor, with the occasional retaliation on her part. The two of them would together host innumerable parties, frequently involving copious amounts of food and adult beverages. Their marriage lasted for 29 years until Mike’s death in 2004. Alison was a consummate physician. She shared her skill and experience with generations of Grand Rapids-trained physicians as an MSU clinical faculty member: they honored her with a teaching award shortly before she retired from clinical practice. She was the graduation speaker for the Blodgett Memorial Medical Center School of Nursing’s Class of 1974 and was the second woman to be elected president of the Kent County Medical Society. Her diagnostic skill was only exceeded by her bedside manner and aplomb. She managed to perform her morning hospital rounds every weekend trailing two hyperactive twins and still maintained her poise. After her retirement from practice, she got her dream job in the medical records department of Spectrum Health, reprimanding surgeons who were behind on their medical records.
Alison loved travel, undeterred by a diagnosis of renal failure (her thrice-weekly hemodialysis just happened wherever she was, including at sea); embroidery (until her dexterity loss prevented this); her friends, who visited often; reading; and playing Scrabble (including an illicit weekly game with friends during the COVID lockdown). She moved to Gainesville in early 2019 to be close to her grandchildren, whom she loved spending time with.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Michael (who is presumably waiting with bated breath to start bantering again); and children, Lawrence David, Andrew Aloysius, and Alison Catherine. She is survived by her daughter, Patricia (Bernhard Bauer); her son, Michael (Carolyn McKune); her grandchildren, Michael, Elspeth, Sharon; and family (sisters, Anne Nunn and Lindsay Murray).
A celebration of Alison’s life will be held at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Funeral Home, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, on Sunday, January 26, 2025, from 2-4pm and 6-8pm. The funeral mass will be held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 215 Sheldon Blvd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 10am, with visitation one hour prior. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Oak Hammock Scholarship fund (https://www.oakhammock.org/philanthropy-donate-here/), to benefit the staff that helped Alison stay active and happy.
2 Responses
Dear Patricia and Bernhard, Michael and Carolyn and family,
We in the Aquinas community extend our sympathy upon the death of your mother, Alison. Her compassion and care for others touched so many lives. You are blessed to have had such wonderful servant-witnesses as your parents.
God grace you with Gratitude and Peace as you celebrate your mother’s life among us and her Risen Life in Christ. We will remember her by name during our monthly Memorial Mass on March 20 at 4:30pm in Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel here on campus. All are welcome.
Be assured of our prayerful support.
Dr. Dark was mine & my mother’s doctor. She was awesome. When she realized how hard it was for my Dad to get her into the office, she started coming to their house. Dad & Mom loved her. So did I.