Missing Man’s Family Adjusts to His Death : Alzheimer’s disease: David Piper Sr.’s body was found last week by hikers, nearly 9 months after he wandered away from his San Pedro home.

For the family of David W. Piper Sr., it was a discovery that brought both relief and sadness.

Almost nine months after the 78-year-old Alzheimer’s victim wandered away from his home on Santa Cruz Street in San Pedro, Piper’s body was found in rough terrain west of Paseo del Mar in Rancho Palos Verdes, about 2 1/2 miles from his home.

The body was discovered last Thursday by two hikers and was positively identified the next day through dental records by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. A coroner’s spokeswoman said the cause of death could not be determined from the remains and that it was impossible to say exactly how long the body had been there.

Piper’s wallet and ID necklace were found with him, family members said. Foul play is not suspected.

Piper’s daughter, Evangeline, 37, who with other family members and friends spent nine months searching for him, said she believes her father died soon after his disappearance.

“I don’t know for certain, but I feel it (Piper’s death) probably was just a matter of a day or two” after his disappearance, she said. “It’s sad that he had to die alone, but I hope that he just fell asleep and that the Lord took him in a peaceful way.”

A retired senior gardener for the City of Los Angeles, Piper suffered from epilepsy and high blood pressure, and his mind was clouded by Alzheimer’s disease, but otherwise he was in good physical condition and often took long walks around the neighborhood with his dog Spanky.

He had twice before wandered away from home, but both times was found within a few days. But on the night of April 25, 1992, he wandered away and was never seen by his family again.

Piper’s family spent weeks and months searching for him, distributing thousands of flyers, trying to get various news media outlets to publicize his disappearance, checking with hospitals and relief agencies for the homeless. There were no firm leads. Family members said that Spanky the black Lab got seriously ill--from a broken heart, Evangeline Piper said--and had to be euthanized.

Six weeks after Piper’s disappearance, Piper’s son, David Piper Jr., said that “It’s the not knowing that’s tearing us apart.” But the family held out hope that their father would turn up alive, somewhere.

After the body was discovered last week, the Piper family finally traded uncertainty for grief.

“It’s been very hard,” Evangeline Piper said. “But it was a miracle they found him. If we’d had to go through life not knowing, it would have been worse. But it’s still hard.”

Evangeline Piper said the entire family is grateful to scores of individuals and organizations who helped in the search for their father, including the Salvation Army and the Mormon Church, among others.

Piper, who was divorced, is survived by daughters Evangeline and Sharon, sons David and Danny, and stepdaughter Bonnie Hayes. A memorial service will be conducted Saturday at 6 p.m. at Grandview United Methodist Church in San Pedro. Evangeline Piper requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Assn. of Los Angeles County, 5979 W. 3rd St., Suite 300, Los Angeles 90036.