Dave Emery

Dave Emery, age 59, of Yankton, South Dakota, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at his home. A celebration of his life will be at 2:00 PM, on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton.  Interment will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton with military honors provided by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the celebration.  All are encouraged to wear their favorite sports team gear in honor of Dave’s love of sports. David John Emery was born January 22, 1962 in Aurora, Illinois to Donald and Grace (Pook) Emery.  He grew up in Plano, IL where he attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and then Plano High School.  Dave enlisted in the United States Army.  He was a Petroleum Specialist stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina in the 82^nd Airborne Division.  On April 10, 1984, Dave married Dawn Novak in Yorkville, IL.  After their marriage, they lived in Aurora for a few years.  Dave worked for a landscaping company and then Design Depot.  They moved to Yankton in the summer of 1986 and Dave worked for Northern Extrusions and then spent 15 years at Kolberg-Pioneer where he became a CNC Programmer.  Dave loved fishing and especially loved paddle fishing.  He also loved bow fishing and bow hunting.  He enjoyed mushroom hunting but hated eating mushrooms.  Dave was a die-hard Chicago sports fan.  He had a very extensive collection of football cards.  Dave also enjoyed watching NASCAR and cheering on his favorite driver, Kevin Harvick. He loved animals, especially his cat, Snowball, his lab-pyrenees, D.J., and his teacup chihuahua, Rosa. Dave is survived by his wife, Dawn Emery of Yankton; three children: DeAnna Emery (Wilian Estevez Santa Cruz) of Yankton, Derek Emery of Yankton, and Dustin Emery of Sioux Falls, SD; 10 grandchildren: Catalina, Adriana, Izabela, Karmen Baya, Anicia, Dominik, Dominique, Jacie, Khloe and Luca; mother, Grace Pook of Margate, Kent, England; two brothers, Steve (April) Emery of Indiana and Dean (Melissa) Emery of Bartonville, IL; sister, Debbie (Mike) Bartholomew of Florida; one niece; and several nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his father, Donald; step-mother, Pat Emery; two granddaughters, Estevez-Emery twins; and one grandson.  

VIDEO TRIBUTE:

 

CELEBRATION OF LIFE:

To watch Dave's celebration of life service, click on the link below: https://fb.watch/apFtpMEyoF/