David, as he was best known (unless Jan was mad at him, then he was Everett) grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa before joining the United States Air Force at the young age of 17. While enlisted David was trained as an electrician and then volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War. After his honorable discharge he attended the Nettleton Business College in Omaha, Nebraska and got his associate's degree. He worked for a number of electric companies through the local IBEW and eventually started his own electrical and heating and cooling company.
While in the service in France, David met Janet Lynch and was thoroughly smitten. After months of dating David asked Janet’s father (his commanding officer who was not entirely impressed with the young airman showing up at his house) for her hand in marriage. To his confusion, Colonel Lynch told him to come back and ask again on April 1st. David didn’t realize the joke until after he left the house. Colonel Lynch was eventually won over and liked David so much he forgot he had ever disliked him.
The couple raised two children together and enjoyed multiple business ventures. They ignored child labor laws, having son Patrick and daughter Rebecca work for their company, where they incidentally learned the importance of hard work. Eventually David and Janet were able to travel, working and enjoying all the beauty and variety the US has to offer. After their time spent traveling, the couple retired to Conroe in 2018. While he was not working David like to spend his time hunting and fishing, loving when he had opportunities to mentor young men, and working on his curmudgeon persona.
David is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Janet Sue, children Patrick Fields and wife Wendy, Rebecca Waalkes and husband Jeff, grandchildren Alissa Fields, Forrest Fields and Sage Waalkes and great grandchildren Tobias and Octavius “Ozzy”, and sister Mary Wood, along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter Rain Waalkes, his parents and siblings Betty, Martha, Wanda, Judy, Jeri, Jack, Eugene and Phillip. We believe he was received into heaven with laughter, love and joy and possibly a game of poker.
Memorial services are planned for Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Cashner Funeral Home’s Oak Hall in Conroe, Texas. Inurnment services and a Celebration of Life will be planned in the upcoming months and is to be held in Kansas. He will be laid to rest in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.
