Dave's Story

The Full Story

David Fay Shaner, of Searcy, Ark., formerly of Oak Creek, Wisc., passed away peacefully from this side of eternity to his reward at the age of 92. He was born on August 7,1932 in Peoria, Ill. and died November 2, 2024 in Searcy, Ark.

After enlisting in the Navy, in January 1952, David took his first leave-of-absence to come home to Peoria and marry Claude (Polly) Shaner on April 6, 1952. They were married for 48 years until Polly died on April 13, 2000.

David had a lifetime of civil service to this country, enlisting in the U.S. Navy in January 1952, serving on eight different Naval Stations in six different states, before retiring with and Honorable Discharge in June 1972. After being discharged, he became a government civilian employee, teaching basic electronics to naval recruits at the Great Lake Naval Training Center in Waukegan, Ill. In 1975, David was offered a position with the Federal Aviation Administration as a control tower maintenance engineer serving for the duration of his civil-service career before retiring in 1995.

David was preceded in death by his parents Fay Shaner and Myra Johnson Shaner, his sister Joyce Faubel and his youngest daughter Lisa Marie Massengill (Brandon). He is survived by two sons, David Wayne Shaner (Kathy) of Bellevue, Wash.; Steven Michael Shaner (Donna) of Ringgold, Ga.; two daughters, Brenda Joyce Tibbles (Randy) of Inola, Okla. and Julie Sue Testerman (Bret) of DeLand, Fla. He also is survived by 17 grandchildren, 43 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren!

David's inurnment will be on December 18, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at the Arlington Park Cemetary in Greenfield, Wisc.

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David's military and civil-service career included working at Naval Stations including:

Portsmouth, Virg.
Millington, Texas (2)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Pensacola, Fla.
Brunswick, Maine
Newport, RI
Glenview, Ill.
Great Lakes, Ill.