GAIL GOODELL, 78, of Prophetstown, IL, died Saturday, April 27, 2019, at his home.

His funeral service will be 10:30 AM Saturday, May 4, 2019, at Leon United Methodist Church in rural Prophetstown with Rev. Jan Shaulis officiating. Visitation will be from 2:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, May 3, 2019, at the Bosma-Gibson Funeral Home in Prophetstown, with Masonic Services at the conclusion of the visitation. Interment will be at Leon Cemetery rural Prophetstown. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to Leon United Methodist Church, Antique Engine & Tractor Association, or Prophetstown Area Historical Society.

Gail was born April 30, 1940, in Sterling, IL, to Glenn M. and Iva L. (Tonkinson) Goodell. He was educated in the rural Prophetstown Grade Schools and was a 1958 graduate of Prophetstown High School. He then attended Ag Short Courses at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL. Gail married Janet A. Oetzel on November 23, 1963, in Prophetstown. He was first employed by Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, IL. He then farmed his entire life in the Prophetstown area, where he raised hogs, cattle, grain and seed corn. He was a longtime Wyffels Seed Corn grower. He enjoyed custom harvesting seed corn especially the years he spent harvesting in Texas. 

Gail was a member of the Leon United Methodist Church, Prophetstown Lions Club, Prophetstown Masonic Lodge #293 (50 year member), Moline Consistory, Tebala Shriners, Antique Engine &Tractor Association and Deer Valley Collectors. Gail served as a board member of the Whiteside County Zoning Board, Big Slough Drainage District, Prophetstown Park District, Prophetstown Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and Illinois Farm Business Farm Management. Gail was an avid antique tractor collector, who enjoyed driving in parades and tractor rides, especially the drive over the Mackinac Bridge, MI and the RFD Tractor Drive in Grand Island, NE.

Survivors include his wife, Janet; one daughter, Diane (Kevin) Baker of Prophetstown, IL; one son, David (Casey) Goodell of Prophetstown, IL; three grandchildren, Jacob Baker of Sheridan, IN; Abbey (fiancé Dylan DeShane) Baker of Erie, IL; and Alexandra Johnson of Prophetstown, IL; one sister, Shirley (Bill) Sharer of Sterling, IL; one niece and three nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.