Gail C Hickenbottom

November 06, 1948 — September 28, 2025

Gail Hickenbottom

Service Details

Gail C Hickenbottom passed away on September 28, 2025, at his home. He was born on November 6, 1948, to Isaac Wesley and Mildred Lois (Chambers) Hickenbottom in Macomb, Illinois. He was reared on his family’s grain and livestock farm in rural Table Grove, Illinois. It was a farm where caring for the land and discovering the values of nature were a foundation for his future endeavors. Following his parents’ passing, the corn and soybean family farm was managed by Gail and his brother.

Gail earned his B.S. Degree at Western Illinois University and his M.S. Degree at the University of Illinois in Agriculture Education. He taught high school Agriculture Education classes and was an active FFA Advisor at Beardstown and Eureka High Schools, where students were active at Section, District, and State levels. At Eureka, he offered one of the first Commodity Marketing classes in the state of Illinois.

After leaving teaching, he worked for Pioneer Hi-Bred International (now DuPont) as a Senior Market Analyst. He served on the Board of Directors for Practical Farmers of Iowa and for Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. He was also on the Finance Committee at Practical Farmers and involved with the Climate Land Leaders Initiative. Gail was an avid gardener and user of the trails in nearby parks.

He is survived by his brother and family, and also several cousins. Gail’s remains will be laid to rest near his parents’ gravesite in Harris Cemetery, west of Table Grove, Illinois.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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