John Wallace McFadden

John Wallace McFadden, age 81, of Martinsville, Illinois died Saturday, December 31, 2022, at Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet, Illinois.  He was born October 12, 1941, in Hinsdale, Illinois, the only child of Wallace and Hazel Metzger McFadden.

John grew up in Downers Grove, Illinois, and graduated from Downers Grove High School (now Downers Grove North) with the class of 1959.  He attended Eastern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in music education in 1963 and a Master’s degree in trumpet performance in 1964.  He participated in band, orchestra, and many other music groups.  At Eastern, John met his future wife, Judith Gregg of Martinsville, Illinois.  They were married August 17, 1963, in Charleston, Illinois.  John and Judy were married for almost 58 years until Judy’s death on February 19, 2022.

John’s profession was high school band director.  He began his teaching career in the mid-1960’s at Bremen High School in Midlothian, Illinois, and Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois.  He became the band director at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois, in 1970 and taught there for 24 years, retiring in 1994.

John and Judy lived for many years in the Chicago suburbs of Country Club Hills and Lockport, where they raised their 3 daughters.  They returned to Martinsville in 2001, retiring to Judy’s family farm. 

John enjoyed hunting, fishing, trap shooting, gardening, and cabinet making.  In the Chicago-area, he was a member of the LaSalle Brittney Club and the Frankfort Sportsman Club.  In Martinsville, he was a member of the Round Grove Sportsman Club.  He was a long-time member of the Martinsville Public Library District Board of Trustees, serving from 2003 until the time of his death.  In addition, John and Judy travelled extensively across the Unites States during their retirement years, including their annual “snowbird” trips to Marco Island, Florida.

John was preceded in death by his wife, Judith Gregg McFadden, and his parents, Wallace and Hazel McFadden.  He is survived by 3 daughters, Claudia (Jeffrey) Lewis, of Parrish, FL, Marcia (Spencer) Hopper of Lockport, Illinois, and Johanna McFadden of Lockport, Illinois; and 2 grandchildren, Aubrey Hopper and David Hopper of Lockport, Illinois.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 5, 2023, from 4 pm to 7 pm at Greenwell Funeral Home, Martinsville, IL. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Friday, January 6, 2023, at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 414 S 6th St., Marshall, IL. Burial will follow in Rupp Cemetery, Martinsville, IL. 

Memorials may be made to the Martinsville Public Library District, 120 E. Cumberland Street, Martinsville, IL 62442.

To view the full obituary, send a condolence message, light a candle or post photos, visit www.markwellfuneralhome.com.  Greenwell Funeral Home, 30 N. Washington St., Martinsville, IL is in charge of the arrangements. 

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