David Forest Seaton

David Forest Seaton, age 74, of Carlsbad, California passed away February 15, 2022 at Tri-City Medical Center from complications of coronary artery disease resulting from Agent Orange exposure.

Dave was born September 19, 1947 in Taylorville, Illinois and grew up in nearby Morrisonville, Illinois. In 1965 he graduated from Morrisonville High School, where he excelled on the varsity baseball team all four years. He also participated in school band, playing alto saxophone, and played a year on the basketball team because he and his friends thought it would help them meet girls.

In January, 1967 Dave enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served two tours in Vietnam with Attack Squadron Fifty-Five before being honorably released from active duty in 1970. He received a National Defense Service Medal, two Navy Unit Commendation Ribbons, five Vietnam Service Medals, an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Dave attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois where he received his Bachelor of Science in Health Education in 1973 and Master of Science in Health Education in 1976. He could often be seen proudly sporting his Salukis gear. And if you didn’t know what a saluki was, he’d be happy to explain it to you.

Dave made a career as a housing specialist for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was a proud and dedicated son, brother, uncle, and father of two sons of his own, Dylan and Jeffrey.

Dave was never big on “things”, but took great pleasure in the simple joys of life, chief among them: walking Carlsbad State Beach, collecting rare coins, watching his beloved St. Louis Cardinals, frequenting his favorite watering holes in Carlsbad village and Oceanside, and, more than anything else, spending time with his boys, with whom he enjoyed traveling and quizzing on baseball trivia. Other interests included history, geography, and cornball “dad” jokes.

Dave made regular charitable donations to a number of organizations, including the SIU Foundation, Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, St. Joseph’s Indian School, Christian Appalachian Project, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the American Legion, among others.

Dave is survived by son Dylan Seaton and daughter-in-law Lou Seaton of Los Angeles, California, son Jeffrey Seaton of Oceanside, California, brother Richard Seaton of Springfield, Illinois, niece Lisa Ball, spouse Jim Ball, and grandnephew Vincent Ball of Tell City, Indiana, first cousin Tom Sanders and spouse Patricia Sanders of Palo Alto, California, first cousin once removed Bry Sanders of Los Angeles, California, first cousin once removed Tal Sanders of Mountain View, California, and former spouse Karen Rivoira of Carlsbad, California. He was preceded in death by mother Catherine Seaton of Oceanside, California, father Ralph Seaton of Morrisonville, Illinois, aunt Helen Russell of Oceanside, California, and uncle Floyd Seaton of Quincy, Illinois.