David Scheun Obituary, Death – David Scheun, our George director, passed away unexpectedly on the 10th of January 2023, and it is with a heavy heart that we must say our final farewells to him. He has left a significant void in our lives, and we will miss him very much. David received his elementary education at Bunn and his secondary education at Lanphier, from which he graduated in 1968. He received an associate degree from LLCC and a bachelor’s degree from UIS after completing his education at both institutions.
David was the youngest licensed pilot in Illinois at the time he earned his pilot’s license because he had a passion for flying and earned it before the age of 18. During his 26 years of service in the United States Army and the Illinois Army National Guard, he attained the rank of Chief Warrant Officer and Pilot. He enjoyed flying helicopters as a hobby. David held the position of military instructor pilot (IP) during his time in the military. He was qualified to fly the OH-58 Kiowa, the UH-1 Huey, the AH-1G Cobra, and the CH-47D Chinook helicopter, which is the largest helicopter in the Army’s fleet.
Playboy 18 was David’s call sign while he was serving with the 334th Aviation Weapons Company, also known as the Playboys, during his tour of duty with the Cobra aircraft in Vietnam. Chief Warrant Officers are commonly referred to as or referred to as “Chief,” and those with a rank of CW4 are referred to as “Super Chief.”
Within the National Guard, David’s reputation as “THE Super Chief” preceded him. After many years of service to the State of Illinois in various agencies and ownership of several small businesses, he eventually took early retirement. In his spare time, he enjoyed traveling, RVing, water sports, bargain hunting, playing cards, specifically Texas Hold ‘Em, watching basketball games featuring the Fighting Illini, looking for deals, and beginning new projects. David’s grandchildren absolutely adored him, and the entire family will miss him terribly.