Eugene Raymond "Gene" Diestelmeier

Eugene Raymond “Gene” Diestelmeier, age 75, of Elizabeth, Illinois died Monday, April 9, 2007 at the Lena Nursing Home, Lena, Illinois. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14 at the United Methodist Church, Elizabeth, with Pastor Amy Poust officiating. Burial will be in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Freeport, Illinois. Military rites will be accorded by the Hanover Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5300. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday, April 13 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home, Elizabeth. A memorial fund has been established in Gene’s name.
Gene was born June 19, 1931 in Pearl City, Illinois, the son of Raymond and Pauline (Boeck) Diestelmeier. He attended school in Lena, Illinois. Gene served in the US Army during the Korean War.
Gene worked as a dairy farmer hand most of his life. He loved the outdoors, including morel hunting, planting marigolds, and collecting antique Allis-Chalmer tractors. Gene enjoyed visiting with friends, dancing, painting tractors, horseshoes and fishing. He was an Elizabeth School District Terrapin Turtles fan and River Ridge School District Wildcat fan, Green Bay Packer fan, and an early Rock-in-Roll fan.
Gene will be dearly missed by four sons, Rodney (Laura) Diestelmeier of Wister, Oklahoma, Rick (Connie) Diestelmeier of Savanna, Illinois, Raymie (Tracy) Diestelmeier of Elizabeth and Robin (Debbie) Diestelmeier of Savanna; three daughters, Roxanne Schultz of Lena, Renee Hastings of Stockton, Illinois and Lacrisha (Danny) Southerland of Heavener, Oklahoma; two step children Tracy (Penny) Cannon and Jenny (Terry) Havens; 22 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; his companion, Jean Curtiss of Lena; two brothers, Don (Shirley) Diestelmeier of Freeport and Ron (Debbie) Diestelmeier of South Beloit, Illinois; a sister, Judy (Arlyn) Meyers of Brodhead, Wisconsin, and his Mother-in-law Golda Starr of Stockton, Illinois. Gene is preceded in death by both parents; an infant daughter, Debra; a grandson, Adam Diestelmeier; and a brother, Jerry.