Lifelong Conservationist for Department of the Interior; passed away at Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha after a brief, courageous battle with primary CNS lymphoma. David was born on Sep 6, 1935 in Lancaster, Ohio to Henry and Anna Shonk. He married the former Virginia Dunn on September 12, 1959. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. David attended The Ohio State University, studying wildlife management, zoology, agronomy and botany, and graduated in 1959 with a bachelor of science in wildlife management. David enjoyed a career spanning more than 30 years dedicated to wildlife management, conservationism and recreation service management with the Department of the Interior. Over the course of his career, he served as conservationist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife in Findlay, Ohio; wildlife biologist in Grand Island, Neb. for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and recreation resource specialist for the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he was later promoted to chief, Division of Resource Areas. David next served as supervisory outdoor recreation planner for the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation in Washington, DC, and as chief, Division of Federal Assistance for the Bureau's southern regional office in Albuquerque, NM. He returned to Ann Arbor to serve as assistant regional director for The Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (formerly the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation). David then served as associate regional director, cooperative activities for the National Park Service in Omaha, Neb. until his retirement in 1991. David enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, cribbage and euchre, and was an expert mushroom hunter. He was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Omaha and a 3rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus. David is survived by his wife of 51 years, Virginia; son, Michael; daughters Terry New and husband Levi, Joan Wozny and husband Ron; grandchildren, Carrick New, Caden New, Emma Wozny and Ben Wozny; sister, Eileen Lord; and numerous nieces and nephews.
ROSARY Thursday, 7pm, West Center Chapel. SERVICES Friday, 9:45am, West Center Chapel to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, 15353 Pacific, for MASS at 10:30am. Private Interment, Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials to Catholic Charities. VISITATION from 3pm Thursday, with family receiving friends 5pm-7pm at the West Center Chapel. HEAFEY-HEAFEY-HOFFMANN
DWORAK-CUTLER
WEST CENTER CHAPEL
78th & West Center Omaha, NE.
402 391-3900