David L Beckner

David Beckner was born in Monmouth, Il on February 171\ 1938, and died in Tucson, Az. at the age of almost 88 on February 15th, 2026. Soon after emergency bladder surgery on Tuesday February 10th, his heart, kidneys, and liver stopped functioning.

Born to Estella (Tarr) and Earl Beckner, David grew up in the small towns of Monmouth and then Kirkwood, IL. While attending Western Illinois College in Macomb, David went to Springfield with a college friend for a blind date. He ended up moving to Springfield, IL and marrying that girl, Virginia Flagg, in 1957. They had three children, David (1959), Lisa (1960) and Mary (1965) while living in Springfield, Williamsville, and then Athens.

He worked for Barker-Luben Lumber Company for many years, where he met his second wife, Cheryl Parson. They were married in Springfield in 1974.

David was a born salesman. Throughout his Long working career, he sold lumber, cars, recreational vehicles, trucks, and even jewelry. He said he loved selling jewelry because he liked holding hands with pretty girls. Cheryl made him quit that job LOL!!

David and his family enjoyed tent camping in the summer and fall and eventually moved up to a small camper. Every vacation was spent traveling to a new part of the country. Their first cruise was to the Bahamas, then Alaska a few years later. David and Cheryl were even able to fly to Hawaii for their 20th anniversary!

Open heart surgery with a quadruple bypass and an artificial aortic value resulted in David's retirement in February of 2000, but he was still able to enjoy golfing several times a week. In 2007, David and Cheryl became Snowbirds. They would winter in Yuma for about six months and return to Springfield each summer and fall. David loved to play and sing old country music on his guitars. In Yuma it was possible for him to "jam" with other musicians two or three times each day, seven days a week!! However, they both still had to make time for golf and other fun activities.

When they decided to live in Arizona full-time (in 2014), they moved to Tucson where they enjoyed golfing, cards with friends and eating out. In 2024 David and Cheryl took pleasure in cruising across the Atlantic to England, Scotland and France; then from Florida, through the Panama Canal to California; and then a riverboat cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest!

David battled several health issues after his open heart surgery, but successfully overcame all of them until last week. David and Cheryl celebrated over 51 years of marriage.

David is survived by his wife, Cheryl; sister Nancy (Jim) Ricketts; children David (Pam) Beckner of Cantrall, IL with their children Jessica and Caiti (Partner Andrew Oldfield); Lisa Dungey of Springfield, ll, with her son Gregory (Allison) Dungey, Jr and daughter Rachel (Nick) Bandy; and Mary (Jim) Dial of Riverton, IL, with their children Shawna Dial and Shelby

(Cody) Kincaid; brother-in-law Randy (Connie) Parson of Decatur; along with nieces, nephews and their children; NINE great-grandchildren.

David was preceded in death by his father, Earl; his mother, Estella (Tarr); his sister Esther Folger, his twin brothers, James and Charles; his in-laws, Harry and Pat (Miller) Parson.

Donations in his memory may be made to Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ, or your favorite charity.