David Wilton Monks, 87, peacefully passed away on Sept. 25, 2023, at the hospice care unit in Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Friends and family including their dogs were by his side during his hospice stay.

David was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, on June 18, 1936, and graduated from Central High School in 1954. He attended Prospect Baptist Church with his paternal grandmother Mollie Monks. During those early years, David accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized.

After graduating he moved to Nashville to attend Tennessee School of Broadcasting. Although he never worked in the field of broadcasting, he felt the training he received was very helpful in the career path he chose.

Mr. Monks was known as Wilton growing up, but during his School of Broadcast on-air training it became apparent the name Wilton was not easily understood or remembered. As a professional career motivated young adult, Mr. Monks started going by his first name David.

David was an avid country music fan (older style 1950s through mid-1970s). He started playing guitar and singing when he was 16. He played and sang in several country western bands over the years. In the later years, he enjoyed open mic nights and karaoke.

The five years at Hubbard Hospital, a division of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, were the springboard that started an almost 20-year career as hospital administrator for hospitals in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Moundsville, West Virginia, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

At Palm Beach Gardens Community Hospital (now Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center), David assumed the operations of the hospital and completed a large expansion from 92 beds to over 200 beds. David also worked with a local cardiologist to start the first open heart surgery program in the area. The doctor who oversaw David’s hospice care was a teenager who had a job at the hospital during those expansion years. While he did not remember David, he remembered how exciting it was to work at the hospital as it expanded from a small community hospital surrounded by cow pastures to a respected hospital performing cutting edge heart surgery. The hospice doctor also remembered how well the employees were treated during David’s administration and told the hospice staff what it was like to work there back in the mid-1970s.

As the expansion was nearing completion, David knew American Medical International, owner of the hospital, would be transferring him. David and his wife Jeannie chose to stay in Palm Beach Gardens where Mr. Monks then had a 30-year career in real estate owning two companies and a real estate school.

David was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Clay “T.C.” Monks; his mother, Edna Miles Monks; his grandparents, Owen and Mollie Monks (who he lived with for six-plus years while his father was serving in WWII); his daughter, Deborah Darlene Monks Klein; his former wife and dear friend, Jeannie Monks; sister-in-law, Octavia Key Stayton; brother, Jerry Stayton; brother, Donald Stayton; and sister-in-law; Brenda Stayton.

David is survived by his sister, Gayle Monks (Randall) Shelton of Fayetteville, Tennessee; brother, Bobby Monks (Angela DiBenedetto) of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; brother, Jimmy Monks of Cuba, Missouri; brother, Winfred (Josie) Stayton of New Market, Alabama; sister-in-law, Joan Stayton of Rancho Cucamonga, California; sister, Treva Stayton (Joe) Richardson of Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee; brother, Rickey (Bonita) Stayton of Church Hill, Tennessee; daughter, Karon Monks (Bob) Rakoz of Vancouver, Washington; no grandchildren; several granddogs, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in the chapel of Gallant-Riverview Funeral Home with the Rev. Winfred Stayton officiating. Burial followed in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Humane Society of Lincoln County, TN, 1718 Pulaski Hwy, Fayetteville, TN 37334 https://humanesocietylc.com

Gallant-Riverview Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of David Wilton Monks.