David Denzil Hancock was born on August 1, 1940 to Elsberry Hancock and Mary Ruth Frick on a small farm in the Polk Precinct of Pope County in an area called Oak, near what is now Herod, Illinois. This is where the farming family was located during the 1940 census in May 1940, months before David was born. At that time, his father, Elsberry, was 55, 22 years older than his wife Mary Ruth aged 33. Children in the home then were Rodman 5, Roy J. 2, and Elsberry’s 57 year old single sister, Sarepta Hancock.
After David’s father, Elsberry, passed away in 1941. David’s widowed mother, Ruth, gathered up the family and moved them to Marion to live in 1945. When the 1950 census was taken, the family was living at 604 E. Reeves Street. Children in the home at the time were Rodman 15, Joseph Roy 12 and David aged 9. A few years later, a Marion street directory indicated that Ruth was working at the newly constructed Marion Memorial Hospital, Rodman was driving a truck for the Marion Ice Service company and David was a delivery boy for the Republican-Leader, printing company for the Marion Daily Republican. In 1955, Marion Daily editor, Oldham Paisley, presented David with the Paul Frick Memorial Trophy as the most popular newspaper delivery boy.
While attending Marion High School, David was an active member in clubs and sports, playing football and graduating in the Class of 1958. He then attended classes at S.I.U. and graduated from Southern Baptist Bible College.
In 1959, David participated in the local Jaycee Road-E-O, a competition based on precision driving skills and took first place locally, later participating in the regional event.
On August 20, 1961, David got married to Jaclyn Lashley and by 1963, David was working as a salesman for the Williams Furniture store and were then living at 611 E. Meridian Street.
As an active member of the Baptist faith, David was licensed to preach in 1958 and was ordained a minister on February 16, 1962 at the Coal Belt Springs Baptist Church.
By 1967, David had become an insurance agent and Jaclyn was teaching at the Marion High School. They then lived at 702 Hadfield Drive. In 1968, David was installed as the senior warden for the Johnston City Masonic Lodge.
In 1976, David was installed as District Governor at the Lion’s International Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. As governor, David oversaw 52 Lions Clubs of Southern Illinois south of St. Louis.
When a special Marion city election was held in September of 1980 to replace Ron Joyner as city commissioner due to his appointment to city treasurer, David threw his hat in the ring for election but ended up losing to George A. Williams. At the time, David was 39 years old, owned his own insurance business and was living at 611 E. Thorn Street. It was also indicated that he had studied government at S.I.U. His business was Hancock Insurance Agency and was located at 518 S. Court Street.
David ran for city council once again in the 1983 city election and won this time under Mayor Robert L. Butler. David would go on to win re-election in the next three city elections and maintained the position of Police and Fire Commissioner until the end of his fourth term in 1995.
It was mentioned in David’s obit that he had received an honorary doctorate degree from Oxford University in Tennessee for his work there, serving on the Board of Reagents for 13 years.
David was a Baptist vocational minister serving in Williamson and Johnson counties. He had preached for 52 years and was honored for his pastoral loving of the Lord and his people at Cana Baptist Church on July 11, 2010.
Form 2003 until his death he served with the Chaplain Corp of the Heartland Regional Medical Center. From around 2006, he had been pastor of the Walnut Grove Baptist Church on Route 45.
David was a Million Dollar Round Table Producer for Prudential Insurance 12 out of 13 years. He owned Hancock Insurance Agency for four years, tripling the Agency’s volume during that period. He then worked for American States Insurance and SAFECO for 21 years. He always ranked as one of the top life sales reps in the company and was a recipient of the Top Ten Club and the President’s Award many times. At his retirement, he ranked number one in the U.S. David had degrees in LUTC, CLU and CPEU.
David was active in scouting in his life achieving the Order of the Arrow. He became a scoutmaster and was the District Chairman for the Egyptian Boy Scouts of American and the greater St. Louis Area Council.
Lions Club was his passion with the motto, “We Serve.” He was a Johnston City Lions member for many years and at his death was a member of the Marion Lion’s Club. He held just about every position in Lions Club and belonged to Lions International from 1965 to his death. He was the first district governor of this district and one of the youngest to hold this position. In 1976 to 1977, he helped organize the Marion Lioness Club. He was an ambassador of Good Will and a certified Guiding Lion. He became the district governor in 2003 to 2004, where he also was a chaplain of Lions of Illinois Foundation.
David believed in the Masonic Mission of God first, family second and country third. He was a precinct committeeman for many years. He kept up on current events and politics, serving on the city council for 12 years.
David was a licensed pilot, took 4 x 4 trips in the Colorado Mountains, had HO train sets, liked to hunt and camp and decorated Chevy Chase style at Christmas.
For this last five years, David was one of the seven trustees of John A. Logan College. He was serving as board chairman at his death. In appreciation of his love, leadership and vision, a dedication ceremony in his honor was hosted where a room was named in his behalf at the college. David was also Illinois Chairman of the Board of the Leadership Council of Illinois Community College Trustees Association.
David passed away at his home after a yearlong battle with a brain tumor. He passed away peacefully on his 49th wedding anniversary on August 20, 2010. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Jackie Hancock of Marion; daughter and son in law, Janeen and Steve Plumer of Marion; son an daughter in law, Scott and Valerie Hancock of Jordan; grandchildren, Alexis and Luke McAnally of Lexington, Ky; Ashton Plumer of Marion, Victoria and Nicholas Hancock, of Jordan; brothers and sisters, Rodman and Elaine Hancock and Ray and Ruth Hancock, all of Marion.
(Sources: Federal census records, the Southern Illinoisan and Marion Daily Republican newspapers, Marion Street Directories. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 9/25/2024)