David Lee Simon

David Lee Simon, age 72, of Shannon, IL, passed away at Freeport Memorial Hospital on October 18, 2025. A prayer service will be held at St. Anthony’s in Hoven, SD at 7:00 pm on Thursday October 30th. Funeral services will be officiated by Father Joe Holthauser Friday October 31st at 11:00 am at St. Anthony’s in Hoven with burial to follow at Gettysburg’s Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Dave was born September 13, 1953, in Hoven, SD, the son of Henry and Clara (Wirtz) Simon. He attended St Anthony’s Grade School, graduating from Hoven High School with the class of 1971. In 1975 Dave earned an associate degree in nursing from Presentation College, followed by a bachelor's degree in electronics from the University of South Dakota, Springfield in 1983.

On June 20th, 1975, Dave married Lisa Lynette Hull, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gettysburg, SD. The couple would go on to have five children, Katie, Shawn, P.J., Haley, and Nick and they stayed by each-other’s side until Dave’s final breath. Dave worked as a registered nurse in numerous hospitals prior to becoming a long-term care administrator. He almost made a habit of helping redecorate many of the hospitals and nursing homes he and Lisa worked at in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Illinois. He put his heart into brightening up the spaces for the residents with some much-needed paint and of course his smile. In 2011 he and Lisa moved to Shannon, IL, when Dave accepted the position of Nursing Home Administrator at Allure (formerly Good Samaritan) of Mt. Carroll, where he worked until retirement. Afterward he worked part time in the self-checkout at Walmart in Freeport, where he always tried to make people smile.

He greeted the world with a grin and left it the same way, always ready with a joke. Some of his favorites were if one of his children were to say I'm hungry, he would respond with- “Hi hungry, I’m Dad,” “knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “Duane.” “Duane, who?” “Duane the tub I’m dwounding”, or his famous one-liner “If life was fair, I’d have a full head of hair and 10 fingers.” Missing two fingers never slowed his humor; he loved to tell people he’d lost them “wrestling a polar bear,” and he could make a room of strangers chuckle. If you knew Dave, then you probably knew of “Aunt Emily” who loved to visit and share her unique sense of humor. Dave especially enjoyed joking with waitresses by ordering “diet ice water with diet ice cubes and a rhinoceros steak with flamingo eggs” or when asked if they could get him anything else he’d respond with “Yes, someone else to pay the bill.” He also had a signature response for favors and small requests: “It’ll cost you a smile.” He collected those smiles like treasures and rarely left anyone without one.

Dave was a man of many passions and hobbies. In his youth he could often be found outside and getting into mischief with his friends. He was also a bit on an adrenaline junkie and enjoyed bull riding and parachuting. Airplanes and flying were lifelong loves, times when he felt most free, and muscle cars and sports always seemed to capture his attention. A devoted fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and an admirer of Katlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever, he also collected sports cards and loved swapping stories about players and games. He also had a lifelong love of the outdoors. He hunted, fished, hiked, target shot, and reloaded his own ammo with meticulous care. Gardening also fit right into his personality as it allowed him to see his loving care blossom in front of his eyes. He had quite the sweet tooth, especially for chocolate and cookies. He adored the Disney character Goofy and the laid-back vibe of Joe Cool. In his signature theatrical style, Dave owned a Santa suit and played Santa for family gatherings, company parties, and nursing homes, spreading cheer for all he could.

Faith was central to Dave’s life. He loved sharing Jesus with his family and wanted to make sure his children and grandchildren knew the Lord. Whenever he tucked his kids in for bed or told them goodbye, he always made sure to say “Jesus loves you, so do I.” He was actively involved in his church, where his kindness and humor were part of his ministry. He placed family above all else and was especially looking forward to moving back to South Dakota in the coming years to be closer to his grandchildren.

He was always trying to make others laugh, to brighten ordinary days with unexpected joy, and to leave people feeling loved. He will be dearly missed by his wife of 50 years, Lisa Simon; children, Katie (Jason) Miller, of Brookings, SD, Shawn (Christine) Simon, of Grand Forks, ND, P.J. Simon, of Brookings, SD, Haley Simon, of Freeport, and Nick Simon of Brookings, SD; six grandchildren, Luke, Kjerstin, and James Miller, and Summer, Allie, and Aubree Simon; brother, Jack (John) Simon, of Water Valley, MS; sisters, Marjean (Lee) Stotz, of Tolstoy, SD and Mary Jo Mueller, of Cashton, WI; and sister-in-law, Gale Simon.

David is preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Clara; brothers, Joseph Simon (infant), Norman Simon, and Jim Simon; sisters, Janice (Duane) Rausch, Betty (Jerome) Hageman, Gina (Darwin) Keltgen; as well as two unborn children, and four unborn grandchildren, all of whom, he will meet in heaven.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Jett Foundation in Dave’s name. The Jett Foundation empowers families of children living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) to access resources, bridge gaps in care, and connect with others, especially through Camp Promise, a free summer camp for teens and adults with neuromuscular disorders.