David Lee Deal

David L. Deal, 85, of Bloomington, Illinois and West Palm Beach, Florida, died on Friday, July 26, 2019, at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee, Florida. Cremation rites were accorded, and a memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on August 17 at First Presbyterian Church, Danvers, Illinois with Mike Claver officiating. Interment of ashes will follow at Park Lawn Cemetery in Danvers. Visitation will be held before the service at 9:30 am. Palms West Funeral Home in Royal Palm Beach, Florida is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Danvers. Dave was born March 16, 1934, in Danvers to Clara Louise Deal. He graduated from Danvers High school in 1952, where he played and excelled at baseball and basketball. He married Virginia (Kitty) Short on October 4, 1952, and raised six children. She died on April 1, 2015. Surviving are five children, Kathy (Tim) Mitchell, Bloomington; David (Helen) Deal, Del Valle, Texas; Cheryl Kimber, West Palm Beach, Florida; Jeff (Becky) Deal, Lake Panasoffkee, Florida; and Mary (Rob) Morgan, West Palm Beach, Florida; three brothers, Dennis (LaVonda) Espe, Amarillo, Texas; Bob (Carol) Hardin, Staunton, Virginia; and Royce (David Jolly) Hardin, Penobscot, Maine. He is also survived by ten grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, one sister, Delores Whitlock and one daughter, Laura Campbell. Dave was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Danvers. He retired from RB White in Bloomington, then spent many years as a self-employed handy-man. He loved fishing and woodworking. Nothing was more important to Dave than his family – he was a loving father and grandfather and had a special relationship with his many nieces and nephews.