David Day

For those unable to attend, services will be available at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell-Family-Funeral-Home-99280714047/ . David Landis Day, 84, of Marshalltown, Iowa passed away Monday, September 6th.  Dave came from a long legacy of entrepreneurship. He grew up helping at his family’s dairy Heart of Iowa Dairy, first cleaning milk bottles and then driving a little stand-up delivery truck.  It was during that time that he began to develop a strong work ethic and a brain for business that he took forward with him in life.   In high school, Dave was very athletic. He played football and basketball, and he ran track, even competing in the Drake relays.  He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1955.   Dave went on to attend college at Iowa State University where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and a walk on member of the basketball team.  After graduating in 1959, he worked a short time at the family-owned bowling alley, where he met his wife Donna. Shortly after, Dave enlisted and graduated from US Navy Officer Candidate School in 1960.  He served as a navigator in the Navy until 1965. He was often called “Mr. Clean” during those days, though many in his life knew him by his CB handle “Bald Eagle.” During his years of service, Dave traveled the globe, married his wife Donna, and welcomed their three eldest children into the world.   After serving for five and half years, Dave returned to his entrepreneurial roots in Iowa and joined up with his father in the ownership and operations of Lloyd’s restaurant in Marshalltown. He prided himself in his work in reducing costs and modernizing the business. During that time, he and Donna also celebrated the birth of their two youngest children.    In 1972, Dave started as a liquor broker for National Distillers & Paul Mason for the state of Iowa and established Iowa Liquor Products, Inc in 1980. Dave started in the liquor industry when it was relatively small. He became well known and respected amongst his colleagues in the liquor industry for his success and dedication to his work.  At the time of his retirement in 2006, he was attributed with bringing in and introducing a lot of variety to the industry in Iowa, including brands like Bacardi, Tequila Rose, Malibu, and many others.   Though for most Iowans, Dave’s most famous contribution to the industry was Hawkeye vodka. In the late ‘80s, Dave founded & trademarked the brand, which to this day remains a well-known staple to the liquor industry in Iowa.  Through the many years of business management and work, Dave always found time to enjoy life. He was always up for entertaining friends at home or meeting up with his buddies for a drink at Jack’s. He maintained a passion for flying and continued flying part time for a number of years, both for work and for fun; at one point, he was the proud owner of a little air coup.  On one short flight to visit his daughter in Ames, he found himself detained by the Secret Service due to the President utilizing the municipal airport.  Dave also enjoyed taking the motorcycle out for a ride. Later in life, he and his partner Harriet were always venturing out on long road trips and enjoying new places and visiting with friends and family.  David is survived in death by his partner Harriet Parrott; his brother Dennis Day; his children Jennifer Kapaun, Michael Day, Kimberley Day, and Julie Simkins; and his grandchildren Samantha Kapaun, Alec Kapaun, Will Simkins, and Sofia Simkins. He is preceded in death by his wife Donna (McFadden) Day, his son David McFadden Day, and his parents Eleanor and George Day.   To celebrate the Bald Eagle’s final flight, a memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 15th at 2pm at Mitchell Family Funeral Home located at 1209 Iowa Ave W, Marshalltown IA 50158. For additional information or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.  David’s obituary was lovingly written by his family.