Mr. Donald Frederick Axcell, also known as “Fred”, “Ax”, and “Yardman”, age 75, of Galesburg, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at Allure of Knox County.
Don was born February 3, 1949, in Monmouth, Illinois, the son of Alvin and Ava (Higginson) Axcell. He married Bonnie S. Cannon in Rio, Illinois and together they raised five children: Lisa Axcell, Dean (Kelli) Axcell, and Stacey (Troy) Morrison all of Galesburg, Amy (Shannon Brown) Neal and Hollie Axcell, both of Knoxville. They later divorced and he married Patricia Ann (Earp) Arnold on September 2, 2000, in North Henderson, Illinois. She survives as well as her children: Aaron (Karla) Arnold of Hanover, Maryland and Jaime (Dan) Koerner of Galesburg. Don also raised Patty’s niece, Raina Kroncke of Galesburg as if she were his own daughter.
Don is also survived by his brother, John (Sandy) Axcell of Monmouth and his sister, Martha Flesher of Arvada, Colorado; 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary and Bob O’Brien and Marilyn and Charles Johnson, son-in-law Jim Neal, grandson, Tyler Neal, and his beloved dog, Johnny Lynn.
Don was raised in the North Henderson area and graduated from Alexis High School in 1967. He still spoke often of playing football for the Alexis Cardinals. Most of his life he worked multiple jobs at a time, working as a security guard or custodian at Admirals, Gale Products, and Knox College. He often took on extra work doing tree jobs, splitting firewood or “anything to make a buck”. He found his passion in plowing snow and lawn mowing and prided himself that he had mowed almost every yard in Galesburg. He often spoke about how when he started out, he wore holes in the soles of his boots push mowing grass. He grew Axcell & Son Lawn Service into a successful commercial mowing business, running two mowing crews consisting of many young men that he still counts as friends. Mowing for BNSF, Sandburg Mall, Gates, and most recently Galesburg OSF properties that he has now handed over to his son was a great source of pride for him. He also like to tell how he and Mark Wooldridge mowed 24 hours straight once, just to say they had done it. In 1968, he began working for the City of Galesburg as a dog catcher but soon moved to the Water Division where he retired in 2000 after 32 years. After he retired from the City, Don sold his mowing business and went to work for GreenLeaf Landscaping as the Commercial Mowing Manager, Kleine Equipment and retired a second time from Martin Sullivan. Don was a member of Henderson United Methodist Church. After giving his life to Christ in 2000, he was active in the Quad Cities Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis communities, served as Sunday School teacher and lay speaker. He became a Hospice Compassus volunteer and also volunteered at
Heartland Rehabilitation Center (now Allure of Knox County) as an activities assistant and well as leading a monthly church service.
Known as Yardman on the CB, Don eventually got into ham radios and earned his Technician and General licenses. Over the years Don was a collector of many things such as clocks, guns, novelty radios, John Deere Precision tractors and toys, and many other things. Don loved dogs, particularly his Johnny Lynn and Jocie Lynn whose ashes will be buried with him.
Visitation will be from 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, September 22, 2024, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services Galesburg Chapel. His funeral service will be at 10:00 am on Monday, September 23 at the chapel with Rev. Connor Morrison officiating. The burial will be in Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Allure of Knox County – Activities Fund or any animal charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be offered at www.h-p-w.com.
