David W Harris

David Warren Harris, 70, of Springfield, IL, formerly of Mascoutah, IL, born September 2, 1947 in Salina, Kansas, passed away on October 1, 2017 at Cedar Ridge Health and Rehab in Lebanon, IL.

David graduated from Mascoutah Community High School, Mascoutah, IL, in 1965 and, later, from Kaskaskia College, Centralia, IL. He was a disabled Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, serving as an aviation mechanic assigned to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico and then the U.S.S. Ranger (CV-61).  David later worked as a produce manager at the Scott AFB Commissary with federal civil service until retirement.

David was a man with a variety of interests and talents. Fond of both food and convenience, he once wrote and published a microwave cookbook. He had a keen interest in music and was an amateur guitar player. His eclectic tastes in music included rock, country, jazz, and the blues. David was known to play a mean game of Scrabble. He was also a bit of a card shark. In group settings, David was known to be “quite a character” and was able to get a whole room laughing. Needless to say, many family activities were enlivened by David’s personality.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Marilyn (Brown) Harris, of Mascoutah, IL, his wife, Mary JoAnn (Diemert) Harris, a sister, Sally (Harris) Moulton, his grandparents, four uncles, and five aunts.

He is survived by two sons, Stephen (Gina) Harris of Belleville, IL and Paul Harris of Anna, IL; a grandson, Dylan (Sarah) Harris serving with the U.S. Air Force at Hickham AFB in Hawaii; special friend, Lisa Kirk of Springfield, IL; two brothers, Richard (Rita) Harris of Nashville, IL, and Charles Harris of New Baden, IL; two sisters, Mary Jean (Paul) Dietz of Lebanon, IL and Kathy (Fred) Mason of Joplin, MO; ten nephews and nieces; sixteen great-nephews and great-nieces; and an uncle, William Lowrey, of Dallas, TX.

His family would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to the wonderful doctors, nurses, and staff of the VA Health Care system of Springfield, IL, Memorial Hospital, Springfield, IL, Cedar Ridge Health and Rehab, Lebanon, IL, and Vitas Healthcare, who provided hospice care.

Memorials may be made to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301or the American Cancer Society, 5 Schiber Ct., Maryville, IL 62062. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mollfuneralhome.com.

Visitation: visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, October 9, 2017 at Moll Funeral Home, Mascoutah, IL.

Funeral: Internment of his cremains will be held 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 10, 2017 in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO with U.S Navy military honors.