David Agner

David Leo Agner, 78 passed away on January 13, 2024, in Panama City, FL dueto complications from pneumonia.
He was born on February 15,1945 in Oregon, Illinois, to Alfred & Matilda (Mechan) Agner.
His father was a welder and his mother cared for the children at home.
David graduated from Joliet Catholic High School in 1962 and served in the US Army from 1965-1967 as a helicopter Crew Chief in the Vietnam War.
As a result of seeing the atrocities of that war, David began suffering from PTSD.
He sought answers from the church of his youth but found none.
As a result, he became disillusioned with religion as a young man.
David had a "LOVE" for flying.
It was always his dream to become a pilot, so after the Army, he went to work for the airlines as a baggage handler, with the goal of working his way up, but life has a way of changing plans.
He left the airline, worked a variety of jobs throughout his life, including, mechanic(always), landscaper, factory worker and finally became a skilled locksmith.
It was due to his work as a locksmith that he came in contact with one of Jehovah's Witnesses. David had been attending various churches searching for answers to the many questions he had and one of his customers began giving him answers from the Bible.
David felt such joy and excitement from what he was learning and eventually was baptized as one of Jehovah'sWitnesses on June 14,1980.
He found great joy in telling others about the hope he found in the Bible and serving in the congregation.
Even though he had a strong love for Jehovah, the symptoms from PTSD continued to plague him throughout his life.
It was a constant struggle for him to feel normal.
He so looked forward to the relief from all these physical & mental afflictions promised in various Bible scriptures, like Rev. 21: 3-5.
David finally got his private pilot's license in 1990 and enjoyed flying in the mountains of Colorado.
However, due to the PTSD was never able to go on to fly commercially. He enjoyed mountain biking, snow and water skiing, hiking, camping and travel.
He had a delightful sense of humor, could do imitations of various politicians & entertainers, like Ed Sullivan, Archie Bunker, Richard Nixon, to name a few and he told experiences & stories with a flair to the delight of his listeners.
David was preceded in death by his brothers, James Agner & Douglas Agner.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years Lynda (Johnson) Agner of Wausau, FL, his sister, Carol Ann Baker of Knoxville, TN, his daughter Wendy Agner Dunn (husband Jim) of Bartlesville, OH his son William Agner (wife Michelle) of Scottsdale, AZ, granddaughters Kayli Blankenship, Brooke Blankenship and Samantha Agner and many nieces and nephews.