David was born July 16, 1946, in Roanoke, Va., to parents Mary Ruth Copeland Phillippe and Paul Merwin Phillippe. His mother often told the tale of him nearly being born in the car on the way to the hospital due to a train delay. He was first in line to the baby boomer generation. A redhead, he was proud of his Celtic and Scandinavian heritage. He relocated to Arizona from Champaign in 2018.

He married Judith Ann Avery on June 27, 1970, at the First United Methodist Church in Watseka. The couple raised three children, Abbe Elizabeth (Daniel) Barfield of Taylor, Miss., Samuel John (Tracy) Phillippe of Aurora and Margaret Jayne (Dan) Wood of Green Valley.

The couple were blessed with six grandchildren and five bonus grandchildren, Cooper Mitze, Spencer Mitze, Brennan Barfield and Adrianna Barfield, all of Taylor, Miss.; Khya Phillippe and Kaitlyn Phillippe, both of Aurora; Emma Junkin, Eliza Junkin, Tommy Wood, Dylan Wood and Lexi Wood, all of Green Valley.

He is survived by his wife; beloved support dog, Bella; children; grandchildren; brother, Robert (Carol) Phillippe of Nokomis, Fla.; father-in-law, Robert Donohue of Watseka; brother-in-law, Robert Wolinsky of Danville, Ky.; and sister-in-law, Karen (Robert) Allie of Land'o'Lakes, Fla.; as well as many dearly loved cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Margaret Ann Phillippe Collins; brother-in-law, Bruce Collins; nephew, Lloyd Collins; and sister-in-law, Joan Avery.

He attended primary schools in Lexington, Ky., Managua, Nicaragua, Florence, Ala., and Mahomet. He graduated from Champaign Central High School in 1965 and Southern Illinois University's Vocational Technical Institute in 1967. He worked as Professional Licensed Land Surveyor #2591 in Champaign from 1970 until retirement in 2013.

He served on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Land Surveyors Licensing Board from 1996 to 2009. The Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association awarded him the Carter Jenkins Distinguished Service Award in 2009, Past IDFPR Examiner Award in 2010 and Life Membership Award in appreciation for outstanding service and dedication to the land surveying profession in 2013. He was a member of the Surveyors Historical Society.

David was an avid golfer, fisherman, scuba diver and traveler. He attained the rank of boy scout explorer. He was awarded a Pioneer Certificate by the Champaign County Genealogical Society in honor of his ancestor John Phillippe who settled in Champaign County in the year 1837. He served on the state board of the American Diabetes Association. He and his daughters were awarded the Kiwanis Peanut Family Award in 1990. He amazed his grandchildren by scuba diving in the Epcot Aquarian at Disney World not once, but twice. He was a wonderful sports' dad and grandad.

Once moving to Arizona in 2018, he was active in the Del Lago Del Web community and the University of Arizona Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) until declining health from Parkinson's Disease restricted his life. He then took pleasure in RV trips with Judy, navigating and streaming his favorite books, ocean cruises with frequent trips to the gelato bar, desert ATV rides and visits from friends and family. He loved the american southwest with its saguaro cactus, mountains, javelinas, coyotes, rainbows and amazing sunsets.

Visitation and celebration of a life well lived will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the Mahomet First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Lori Harvey officiating. The family has entrusted the Adair Funeral Home and Crematory Dodge Chapel-Tucson with final arrangements. A private interment will be held in the Phillippe Cemetery in Dewey.

Memorials may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation or the Mahomet First United Church.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News-Gazette on Feb. 10, 2024.