Gene A. Stadel

Gene Allen Stadel, 88, of Hennepin, Illinois left out for Heaven on April 9, 2026. He was a deeply loved son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend whose presence will be greatly missed. 

Born November 4, 1937 in Freeport, Illinois to Walter and Nellie Stadel, Gene grew up on the family farm in Kent, Illinois. A graduate of Lena- Winslow High School in 1954, Gene later served in The United States Army. 

“Daddy Gene” began a 66 year long career in the trucking industry and later as a proud owner-operator of Stadel Trucking Company Inc. , which he grew into a trucking outfit. Through his career he made lifelong friends that became family, brought up a few young men and made them drivers and enjoyed his epic journeys from behind the windshield of his beloved Kenworth. 

A farm boy through and through, he could be found baling hay, making miles and miles of fence for his horses, patting Peaches the pig or simply enjoying the evening sitting at the picnic table. He loved trail riding with the Fox Valley Trail Riders Association and running up and down the road hauling his girls to horse shows and rodeos. After moving to Hennepin much of his time was spent trucking but when home he loved to spruce up his “little farm” that became the talk of the town when he parked a bonafide covered wagon in the front yard. People used to stop just to snap a picture. He was button busting proud of that. Once the horses were gone, he found motorcycles again and enjoyed running errands on his Harley. Wickedly smart and sassy he always had a comeback to toss out that usually made people laugh. He had a heart that was big and golden. Once, just because his friend’s car broke down and they had to cancel for Thanksgiving, he went and bought them another. Driving through Colorado one winter, he stopped to put two complete strangers in the warm cab of his truck and waited with them for the tow truck. He was influential in so many peoples lives in such positive ways that he will be remembered as the legend he was.

Gene is survived by his two “Bunkie Babies”, Lynn Stadel and Heather Mistele, his spectacular grandson, Luke Mistele, who is serving in the Air Force, and his puppy Jake Stadel.

A private celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations in Gene’s memory can be made to Truckers Against Trafficking at tatnonprofit.org

Dysart – Cofoid Funeral Chapel will be assisting the family with the arrangements.

Online condolences may be made to his family at www.dcfunerals.com

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