Michael Zell

Michael Fredrick Zell, age 69, of Chadwick, Illinois, passed away Sunday, September 18, 2016 at home. A Celebration of Life service will be held 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll, Illinois. Memorial visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Michael was born October 19, 1946, the son of Harold and Ruth (Palmer) Zell in Waterloo, Iowa. He lived with effects of childhood polio, but never let it slow him down. Mike is a graduate of the Waterloo High School. On December 4, 1979, Michael married Phyllis Johnson in Keokuk, Iowa. He and Phyllis moved to Chadwick in 1997. They celebrated thirty six years of marriage.
Mike began his truck driving career hauling meat. Later he began transporting tankers of corn syrup and hazardous materials until retiring in 2013. Mike enjoyed baking with the grandkids, watching his favorite tv shows, “The Blacklist” and “Blind Spot”, shopping, and running errands with his grandson, Elijah. He loved driving his semi and has visited 49 states, and Canada.
Michael will be dearly missed by his wife, Phyllis of Chadwick; seven children, daughter, Holly (Chad) Fogle of Lanark, Illinois, son Michael P.(Melissa) Zell of Clinton, Iowa, step-son, Cory (Stephanie) Stehl of Collinsville, Oklahoma, step-son, Philip Stehl of Lanark, son, Scott (Shelly) Zell of Vinton, Iowa, daughter, Tracy (Bill) Norwood of Florida, and daughter, Stephanie (Mark) Gossman of Steamboat Springs, Colorado; 15 grandchildren; one great-grandson, and two brothers, Blair (Joan) Zell of Chicago and John (Deb Butler) Zell of Massachusetts. Michael is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Ruth.