- Date Of Birth: April 22, 1935
- Date Of Death: February 5, 2022
- State: Illinois
Edward L. Gastel “Bud”, 86 of Freeport passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at his home after a brief illness.
Bud was born on April 22, 1935 to Edward C. and Elizabeth (Mueller) Gastel. He was a 1952 graduate of Aquin High School and attended the University of Iowa on a full football scholarship. Bud was a life- long member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Bud married Margaret Bangasser, the love of his life and high school sweetheart on Thanksgiving Day 1954. In 2021, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.
Bud farmed his whole life in Silver Creek Township. A founding member of Freeport Rural Fire Department, Bud and Maggie have many fond memories of the friends they made within the department. He was also a Crop Adjuster for Country Companies for 25 years.
Family was the cornerstone of Bud’s life, with whom he shared his faith. He was most proud of his 6 children, 18 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren and enjoyed the daily visits, phone calls and celebrations of family life. “Cousins Campout” was the exciting annual event held on the family farm for over 35 years.
Bud enjoyed riding his Goldwing with the Wild Oats Gang and was a member of the Goldwing Road Riders Association. He was an avid reader and loved gardening, camping, motor boating on the Mississippi and playing Euchre. A favorite tradition was for the pre-teen grandchildren to spend New Year’s Eve at Grandma and Papa’s. This fun night was always capped off by the kids banging on pots and pans and Papa shooting off his shotgun to everyone’s delight.
He and Maggie enjoyed musicals, the theater and sporting events – especially when his grandkids were involved. They loved to travel and until recently spent winters on Marco Island Florida. They traveled all over the United States and parts of Europe, Canada and Mexico, but in his later years Bud mostly enjoyed spending time with Maggie in the shade of the Hackberry trees in their front yard.
Bud will be sorely missed by his wife, Maggie and children, Mollie (Lenny) Freidhof of Lanark; Laurie (Jerry) Kuhse of Freeport; Betsy (Craig) Kroeger of Baileyville; Gregory (Donna) Gastel of Glen Ellyn; Mike (Bridget) Gastel of Freeport; and Andy (Andi) Gastel of Freeport.
His siblings, Jim (Ginger) Gastel of Freeport; Chuck Gastel of Freeport and Deb (Tom) Casper of Beloit, WI.
His grandchildren Sarah (Luke) Frint, Carli Anderberg, Will(Lainee) Freidhof, Lisa Sweeney, Nicholas (Christina) Garrity, Andrea (Gus) Ahrens, Emily Kroeger, Edward (Tim) Gastel-Wardell, Hilary (Josh) Mangiagli, Leo Gastel, Rachel Gastel, Wesley Gastel, Claudia Gastel, Vanessa Gastel, Isabel Gastel, Zeita Gastel, Hope Gastel and Gabrielle Gastel.
His great grandchildren, Josephine and Colton Frint, Reagan and Magnus Anderberg, Madison Krest, Madison Mumford, Sauvianna Garrity, Mac, Barrett and Crosby Ahrens, Theo and Lark Mangiagli.
His nieces and nephews, Jack (Jill) Gastel, Jeff (Rhonda) Gastel, Judd (DeEtte) Gastel, Joe (Connie) Gastel, Brian (Christine) Bangasser, Myra (Danny) Patrick, Carol Ross, Chuck (Lisa) Casper.
Bud was preceded in death by his granddaughter Kateri Simpson, niece Julie Gastel, and nephew Tom Casper.
