Kenneth Roger Bazzell, 78, Fairbury, died at 2:05 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am Monday, August 29, 2016 at the First Baptist Church, Fairbury with Pastor Daryl Evans officiating. Burial will be in Avoca Township Cemetery, Fairbury with full military rites accorded by the Fairbury VFW and American Legion Posts.

Visitation will be 3:00 to 8:00 pm Sunday and 9:30 to 10:15 am Monday at the church. Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury is in charge of arrangements. The family suggests memorials be given to the First Baptist Church youth program.

Mr. Bazzell was born August 29, 1937 in Fairbury the third of fifteen children to Grover "Tobe" and Paulette Simpson Bazzell.

He married Dorothy McKinley Trost on February 27, 1987 in Fairbury. She preceded him in death in October of 2004.

He is survived by his mother, Paulette Bazzell, Fairbury, eight children, Kathy (Mike) Thyne, Kevin Bazzell, Karl Bazzell, and Carol (Reagan) Trost, all of Fairbury, Kae (Jim) Lester, Streator, Tina (Glen) Hollis, Phoenix, AZ, Connie (Gene Hathaway) Trost and Tammy (Aaron) Bell, both of Pearland, TX; six brothers, Gene Bazzell, Arrowsmith, Duane (Sharon) Bazzell, HI, Donald (Carol) Bazzell, Fairbury, Gerald (Carol) Bazzell, Champaign, Larry Bazzell, Fairbury, Randy Bazzell, Englewood, CO; eight sisters, Carol Walls, Fairbury, Darlene Shaw, Rushville, Arlene Woods, Bradley, Andrea (Ronald) Simmons, Dewey, Pauline Bazzell, Paxton, Barb Taylor, Delores (Bob) Ward, all of Fairbury, Debra Ricketts, AZ; twenty grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his father.

Mr. Bazzell graduated Fairbury-Cropsey High School in 1957. He served in the United States Air Force. After the service he worked for Howard Arnold Construction until it closed. He then drove a truck for Fosdick Poultry and was a laborer at the Great Lakes Shipyard before moving to Texas. In Texas he did construction work at Dow Chemical before working and retiring from WalMart. He returned to Fairbury after 15 years in 2005.

He loved all sports and Nascar. His pride and joy came from his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.