David de Boinville

Mr. David Michael Lacon Chastel de Boinville, 80, of Kensington, died Friday, April 20, of a heart attack at a hotel in Williamsburg, Va., where he was vacationing with his wife.

He was the husband of Janet de Boinville, his wife of 54 years.

He was born in York, England.

His education included studies at a boarding school in Concord, N.H., and the British Institute of the Sorbonne in Paris.

During World War II, he served in the British Army as an artilleryman. He saw action at the Battle of El Alamein in North Africa and was part of the 8th Army's pursuit of the Afrika Korps to Tunis.

He earlier served with the British Council information agency in France, Uruguay and England. He was appointed to the British Embassy in Washington in 1955, and was librarian and head of the reference section. He retired in 1978 and pursued other interests, including gardening and writing.

He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Kensington and a volunteer of its Meals on Wheels programs and pastoral ministries.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, Bryan de Boinville of Chevy Chase, Helen Henderson of Kensington, and Christopher de Boinville of Frederick; and seven grandchildren.