David Lewis French attended Auburn University, and upon completion, began his career in the petroleum industry in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the William Company.

After several years in that career, David switched gears and entered the hospitality industry by joining the Marriott Corporation, working as the Food Service Director at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Dodger Stadium, and Sun Devil Stadium of Arizona State University and the Arizona Cardinals.

David returned to Alabama in 1993, where he was  a manager at Baumhower's Wings Sports Grille in Tuscaloosa. He continued his career in the food service industry when he joined Aramark in their Collegiate Hospitality division as the Assistant Food Service Director of Clemson University.

David continued with Aramark, receiving other assignments on the East Coast at the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, before moving his family West, with opportunities in Salt Lake City, Utah; Albuquerque and Los Alamos, New Mexico; Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; and Starkville, Mississippi.

David and his family returned to Alabama in 2009, accepting a position in Huntsville with a smaller regional food service company. Due to his continuing health challenges, David retired in 2019.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Alton and Christine French; his sister; his brother; and his nephew.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Helen Shanley French; a son; his two sisters; his two brothers; and his nieces and nephews. David revered his in-laws, Leo (deceased) and Bette Shanley.

A memorial service was held on November 21, 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Children's of Alabama (childrensal.org); American Diabetes Foundation (diabetes.org); Alabama Kidney Foundation (alkidney.org); or a charity of your choice.