Ethel Darlene David, 86, of Campbell Hill, Illinois, passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at
Century Assisted Living, Carbondale, Illinois, after a three-year battle with dementia.

Darlene was born to Herman and Hulda Priebe on the family farm in Shiloh Hill, Illinois on November
22, 1936. When she was born, her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, and she wasn't
breathing. Her life was saved thanks to the quick-thinking nurse, Ethel. Darlene was named after her
though very few people referred to her as such.

After graduating Trico High School, she was the secretary to the warden at Menard Penitentiary in
Chester, Illinois. She resigned to become a full-time homemaker when her first daughter was born.
Darlene married Gerald D. David on June 1, 1957 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Campbell Hill and
switched membership to St. Peter Lutheran Church where Gerald's family attended. Gerald preceded
her in death on October 2, 2011. She is survived by her daughters Donna Mueller (partner David
Clark) of Carbondale, Illinois, and Lisa David (Elizabeth Kerr) of St. Louis, Missouri, sister-in-law June
Priebe of Danvers, Illinois, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her
parents, husband, sister Lois Bollmann, brothers Eugene Priebe and Leonard Priebe, and nephews
Terry Priebe and Michael Priebe.

Darlene enjoyed reading, quilting, cooking, playing cards, and traveling. She was an expert travel
planner back when this required paper maps and phone calls on landlines. After Gerald retired,
Gerald and Darlene stepped up their travel adventures, alternating annual trips to baseball Spring
Training in Arizona to watch Gerald's Chicago Cubs and Florida for Darlene's St. Louis Cardinals.
They hiked the Grand Canyon five times. They enjoyed a month-long trip in Alaska, opting to travel
the Inside Passage leg of the trip by public ferry. They were also both avid Saluki Basketball fans and
spent many years at the Arena cheering on the Dawgs with friends they had made in their section.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Century Assisted Living and Hospice of Southern Illinois for
their tireless work and compassion in caring for Darlene during her final days. Donations may be
made to St. Jude or Hospice of Southern Illinois.

Finally, her daughters would like to say that it's okay for their Mom to wash her feet, go to bed, and
never get up again.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, December 17, 2022, at Wilson's Funeral Home,
Ava, with Rev. Alan Kornacki officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Campbell Hill.
Visitation will be at Wilson's Funeral Home, Ava, where friends may call from 11 am until 1 pm
Saturday.