A higher calling

Specialty roofing a family affair for David Anderson

TRI-CITY AREA — David ‘Dave’ Anderson knows more than a little bit about risky business.

The 70-year-old carpenter and roofing specialist’s entire career involves just that—having carried on a family tradition as a church and barn roofing expert whose services are in high demand.

Those demands include lofty heights, alarming angles, startling slants and dramatic peaks and valleys.

At the helm of Anderson Carpentry & Sheet Metal based in Marlette, Dave’s son, Josh Anderson and grandson, Logan Malloy continue the unique established family practice that requires a mix of skill, grit, and guts. One could say it’s a higher calling.

In the beginning

Dave was just 15 years-old when he joined his dad, the-late Emerson Anderson, up high on the roof of the United Methodist Church in Marlette. Since then, he’s roofed all of the churches in Marlette at least once, and last year he and his family crew put a new slate roof on Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lapeer.

“We’ve done the Catholic churches in Ubly and Caseville, too,” David says. “People know we roof churches. We get preyed upon,” he grins.
Just like his dad, Josh was just a teen when he joined Dave on the job 22 years ago. And now Dave’s grandson Logan continues the tradition, learning the ropes and earning his creds as those did before him. A byproduct of Logan’s youth, he works as the “gofer”—and is affectionately referred to as “the grunt.”
Dave’s twin brother Don is also a roofing specialist, having recently installed a new roof at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Imlay City. It’s risky business—but they love every minute of it.

People often remark about the dangers, Dave says, and comment that it takes a certain personality type to handle the job.

“I say yes, that’s true,” David grins. “I’m crazy enough to do it, but smart enough to know how.”

More than just
‘know how’

Recently, Dave and his crew installed a metal roof on the ‘Church of the Latter Day Paints’ in Lum. The former church and parsonage are now the art studio and home of artist Miriam Marcus. The retired art teacher and multi-media artist retreats to the building to create paintings, sculptures, collages and other interesting pieces.

Hoisting 20-foot sheet metal panels and matching them up with the purlins takes equal amounts of planning and muscle. Dave says roofing churches and barns requires sharp focus and dedication to the job above all else.

“There are steeper pitches and towers and no two jobs are the same,” he says. “When you do stuff like this, there is no drinking, no getting high, no fights with the wife, no distractions. You have to commit 100-percent to doing the job when you’re on it. You have to think of the risk and what you need to do to keep it to a minimum.

“If you fall off the roof of a house you’ll probably get up and go to your truck to take a rest,” Dave continues. “If you fall off a church, you’ll need lots of help.

“Yes, we wear life belts,” he grins, “they hold up our pants.”

Along with skill and know-how, specialty roofing requires extensive—and expensive—tools.

“We have thousands of dollars worth of equipment just to do a church or a gambrel barn,” Dave says. “You won’t see just anyone working out of the back of their pickup truck doing this.”

His specialty business is in high demand, he adds, because most roofers don’t want to take on the projects.

“Nobody else wants to do it,” he says. “They don’t want to take the time that’s involved. They want the quick jobs and the quick money.”
He remembers one job roofing a church in the Thumb area where the local farmers gathered at the general store and took bets on his chances of falling.

“No one won that one,” he grins.

Still strong and still standing, Dave and his crew are already booking jobs into 2025 as the work—and time—keep rolling on.

Father Time

Dave thinks about his father often—and wishes he could tell him that he was right. Emerson was just 70 years-old when he passed away, the age Dave is now.

“He used to tell me that I should get into something else because this work is too hard on the body as you get old,” Dave says. “I wish I could tell him I know this now.”

Like his dad, though, Dave continues to climb to lofty heights for work.

“My dad was roofing right up until the end of his life,” he says.

To help keep his body in shape, Dave visits a chiropractor once a month. He also credits drinking a gallon of milk a day for staying strong and healthy.

Yes, he’s taken a tumble or two—one in particular that could have ended his career.

“It was a bad fall and I fractured my tailbone,” Dave says. “The doctors said it would take six months to heal but I was back to work on a two story house in 30 days. It took will and determination and I even exercised while I was recovering in bed.”

The old addage is true, Dave adds, “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.” And he has no intention of letting that happen.

All in the family

Along with Josh and Logan, Dave credits his wife Mary for keeping his thoughts straight and his body safe.

“She doesn’t mind saying ‘no, you’re not going to work today, it’s too windy,’ or whatnot,” Dave grins. “She’s a big part of the program and success, and we joke that she’s bugged my truck. It’s like the minute we finish for the day and get in the truck, she’s calling to make sure we’re okay and on the way home.”

Despite the risks and the literal—and figurative—ups and downs, the trio of men love their work.

“Being outside is great,” Dave says. “If it’s raining, I get to stay home and watch Westerns or babysit the grandkid. That’s great too.”

Josh agrees.

“No two jobs are alike, and to me there’s nothing not to like,” he says with a smile.

He, too, has no intentions of quitting the business, and is already keeping the legacy going.

Marcus is pleased that she chose Dave for her studio project, noting that he’s a skilled craftsman that came highly recommended.

“The new roof makes the building so proud,” she says. “I’m happy that it’s getting done.”