A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to QC Paws. Gibson – Bode Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
David was born on September 25, 1936, in Port Byron, IL, to Edward and Kathleen (Hagel) Filbert. He spent his childhood years growing up in Port Byron and Erie and graduated from Erie High School in 1955. He started his career at John Deere Harvester and became the Power Plant Supervisor before retiring from Harvester in 1992.
David married Carol (Leidig) Southerland in 1959 (later divorced). To this union, he was blessed with two daughters, Sherri and Lisa, who loved their father immensely and whose lives were enriched by being able to call him Dad. David was also a very special “poppa” to his granddaughter, Nikkey, and all the great-grandchildren who made his life richer and kept him young at heart. He enjoyed watching them grow up and attending their dance recitals, sporting events, and graduations throughout the years.
David was outgoing and fun-loving and made many friends who he held dear. For the past twenty-plus years, he spent winters in Destin, FL, enjoying the sound of the surf and watching the sunsets. There he enjoyed the company of both old and new friends from around the US. He also looked forward to and immensely enjoyed visits from his daughter Sherri, going to antique stores up and down the Mississippi and just hanging out together.
In the Quad Cities, David liked going to local auctions, meeting up with fellow Marines for breakfast, and getting together with his friends. David had a love of all animals, having many different types of pets growing up in the country and rehabbing sick or injured wildlife back to health. He also loved his dogs. No pet meant more to him than his little dog Chloe, who in recent years was his greatest companion.
David is survived by his daughter, Sherri Filbert, Ardmore, PA; brother, Joseph (Carole) Filbert, Viroqua, WI; sister, Mary Ellen Schaefer, Urbandale, IA; cherished granddaughter, Nicole (Dustin) Holman, Muscatine, IA; beloved great-grandchildren, Colton Garcia, Jiovanhi Garcia, Lilyanna “Doll” Holman, Alexandria Holman; and treasured step-great-grandchildren, Gabrielle Holman and Hayley Carnithan; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his dear daughter, Lisa Stovall; brother-in-law Bob Schaefer; and his best canine friend, Chloe, who he adopted from QC Paws.
The family would like to give a special thank you to David’s dear friend, Charlie Wilcox, and the extended Wilcox family who made David a part of their family, as well as other friends too numerous to name – he loved you all. Share a memory or condolence at www.gibsonbodefh.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David, please visit the floral store.
One Response
I had the pleasure of knowing David when I was working in the mobile equipment garage at JD Harvester Works (retired in 2010) he was an excellent supervisor and a wonderful leader. It was an honor to know him!!