John Wallace Hiel, age 78, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, February 25, 2026, in Marco Island, Florida, with his wife, Elizabeth, by his side.
John was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on July 10, 1947, to Schneider John and Leah Jean (Lewis) Hiel. He graduated from Bushnell-Prairie City High School where he met his wife, Elizabeth Hensley. John and Elizabeth were married on July 15, 1967, and shared many adventures together.
He enlisted in the Air Force in July 1966, where he was a munitions divisions mechanic. He also served as part of the Honored Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps.
After receiving an honorable discharge, John, together with Elizabeth, went on to build Hiel Trucking/Hiel Enterprises. Their commitment and work ethic laid the foundation for the businesses’ continued mission spanning more than five decades.
Community-minded, John served as a member of the B-PC school board for 12 years, on the Spoon River College Diesel Tech Advisory Board, and as a member of the Midwest Truckers Association.
John was the proud father of three children – Travis John (Tisha) Hiel, Trevor Hensley (Diana) Hiel, and Daniel Robert (Naydeen) Mahr.
He leaves behind a lifetime of memories as a cherished grandfather to seven wonderful grandchildren – John Russell Hiel, Jaxon Trent Hiel, Annabelle Rose Hiel, Emory Elizabeth Hiel, Calen Blout (Ashton) Mahr, Cayden Daniel Mahr (deceased), Aeryn Elizabeth Mahr, Breana (Bobby) Bowman, Stephanie Beaird, Felicia Taylor; and three great grandchildren – Baker Bowman, Alaina Yocum, and Jianni Kiefer.
John is also survived by a sister, Judy (Michael) Cunningham of Camdenton, Missouri; a brother, Joel (Tammy) Hiel of Bushnell, Illinois; a brother-in-law, Carroll (Beverly) Hensley of Galesburg, Illinois; three nephews: Chad (Jan) Hensley of Bushnell, Illinois; Doug (Stacey) Hensley of Nevada, Iowa; and Trenton Hiel of Bushnell, Illinois.
He enjoyed attending his children and grandchildren’s sporting events, boating and water skiing, camping, watching car races, playing cards with friends, and drinking coffee with the guys at McDonald’s.
John will be deeply missed but forever remembered for his humor and the light he brought to the lives around him. A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m. at Hiel Trucking in Prairie City, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cayden Daniel Mahr Memorial Scholarship Fund which supports agriculture and athletics.
