David Lee Hannaford

Springfield, Missouri

David Lee Hannaford, age 65, of Springfield passed away Friday, April 28, 2023. David graduated Mansfield High School in 1975 and was active in basketball and baseball. His love of sports continued throughout his life, and he was always ready to talk shop about either of his beloved sports. He was a huge fan of college basketball and Major League Baseball and was known to not make plans or answer phone calls during events such as March Madness, the Final Four, and the World Series playoffs.

David was a proud employee of the City of Springfield Fire Department. He rose in leadership roles within the department and was passionate about search and rescue, always ready to help someone on their worst day. David was active in the Fire Department Union seeking improvements in safety operations and equipment upgrades and retired in 2004 with 25 years of service at the rank of Captain. David was extremely proud of his career and participated in many educational and community events throughout his tenure. He had a love of music and motorcycles, and in retirement enjoyed maintaining his yard, critiquing those that did not meet his lawn monitoring standards (spoiler alert, nobody did), and tinkering on his zero turn mowers and fishing poles. David was a natural historian and loved to collect firefighting memorabilia, old tools and fishing lures. He was handy, and was known to install steps, new plumbing, or minor electrical work in his daughter's homes as needed. He also checked smoke alarms on almost every visit. David had the uncanny knack of teaching a lesson and making sure it stuck the first time, he was a CPR instructor and a coach of his daughters' basketball, softball, and tee ball teams. Retirement enabled him the time to be more active in attending his grandson's school events and basketball practices and games, which he was always enthusiastic and passionate about. He loved watching M.A.S.H., Westerns, Jeopardy and all things Fox News.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Lawrence Hannaford and Ivona Inola Everett Hannaford, and brother, Joe Hannaford. He is survived by his daughter, Lindsay Hannaford and Michael Needer and his children, and daughter Whitney Vaught and husband Luke Vaught; four grandsons Aidan, Christian, Owen, and Jagger. He is also survived by two sisters, Deana Martin and Becky Fairchild, a sister-in-law, Patty Hannaford, their children and many cousins, aunts, and uncles.

A private memorial will be planned in the future with burial at Dyer Cemetery in Ava, MO.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests donations may be made in David's honor to Jacob's Ladder, https://jacobsladdercare.org/donate/ , in Springfield, MO.