David “Dave” Merkel was the city attorney for Tempe from 1967 to 1998, a time that spanned decades of robust growth and development. The native of Madison, Wis., would earn a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1959. He moved on to legal studies at George Washington University School of Law. He earned his Juris of Law degree from the University of Arizona in 1965. That led to his being hired by Tempe. He would serve under seven mayors until his retirement in 1998. Dave then became General Counsel for the League of Cities and Towns. His skills were lauded for shaping the legal framework for the unfolding evolution of Tempe and other cities.
David, who was admitted to practice before the United Sates Supreme Court, had membership in the International City’s Attorney’s Association and the Arizona Bar Association.
He freely served in community organizations, including the boards of Tempe Community Council, Tempe Community Action Agency (as general counsel), St. Luke’s Heath Initiative Board of Directors, Tempe Leadership Board, Tempe Governors, Tempe Diplomats and Tempe Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.
For more than a decade, he battled Parkinson’s Disease before his death on December 4, 2025.