40 Years: Funeral Directors Mark Extraordinary Career of David Searby

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Documenting and trafficking the American casualties of the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army Mortuary at DaNang Air Force Base in South Vietnam must have been hard work and at times a very difficult introduction to David Searby's career in mortuary science.

Maybe that is where his attention to detail, his sincerity and his focus on service began. And, for hundreds of Southern Illinois families, it is the gold standard in an industry that keys on sensitivity.

Recently, the Illinois Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association honored Searby on this, the 40th anniversary of his career. It has certainly been a life well-lived.

Searby grew up in the Olney and Albion, Illinois areas as the oldest son of William Howard and Emma Searby. He attended Albion Grade School and was graduated from the Edwards County High School in 1964.

Upon graduation, he went to Tulare, Calif. where he attended the College of the Sequoias.

In 1966-1967 he attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, Ill.

In 1968 he became a licensed funeral director and embalmer.

David served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971 and spent more than a year at DaNang, South Vietnam where he was stationed with the U.S. Army Mortuary.

Following that tour of duty he began his civilian career with the Ingram Funeral Home in Albion as embalmer and funeral director.

Wife Linda is the second child of Quentin and Ruby Roosevelt. Born in Olney she attended Smith Grade School and graduated from Edwards County High School in 1966. She attended the Southern Illinois University School of Nursing and was graduated in 1970. Her career began with Richland Memorial Hospital where she worked in pediatrics. A gifted health care provider, she taught nursing at Olney Central from 1971-1972. David and Linda were married in August 1971 at Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Albion. They lived at the Ingram Funeral Home until their move to Du Quoin in August 1973 where David was employed by the Keeling Funeral Home as director and embalmer. In December 1974 he would purchase the Kringer Funeral Home in Tamaroa and in June 1975 would purchase the Keeling Funeral Home.

It was obvious that the longevity of his work would be historic for Du Quoin. In 1980 David and his father purchased Sunset Memorial Park from Mr. and Mrs. Gene Allen and the obvious caring shows in the maintenance of one of the Midwest's most beautiful cemetery parks.

The Searbys have two children--David, an attorney, and Paul, a licensed funeral director--who continues the tradition of professionalism on this 40th anniversary.