Melvin A. Drechsel, 88, of Dwight, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Arc of Dwight Nursing Home.

Visitation will be held Friday, March 6 at Hager Memorial Home, Dwight at 10a – 11a.  With grave side services to follow at Round Grove Cemetery, Dwight at 11:30a. Pastor John F. Mueller, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, will officiate.  Military honors will be provided by the Dwight VFW Post #2608.

Melvin was born on March 12, 1937, in Dwight, the son of Andrew A. C. Drechsel and Gertrude B. C. (Kepplinger) Drechsel. He is survived by his brother, Milton (Eleanor Langone) Drechsel of Florida; niece and caregiver, Linda (Zullo) (Robert) Bohlmann of Illinois; nephews, Steve (Carver McCown) Zullo of Virginia; Alan Zullo of Maine; Joshua Drechsel of Florida; niece Lea-Marise (Drechsel) (Keith) Devine; 17 great nieces and nephews; 7 great-great nieces and nephews; 3 great-great-great niece and nephews. Special friends that became family, Brenda, Scott, Loren, Melanie, and Keegan Bedeker. Grateful to those who cared for Melvin for the past 3 years, the staff at Heritage Health and Arc of Dwight and the Uplift Care Team of Bourbonnais.

Melvin was baptized, confirmed and a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Dwight. Graduate of Dwight HS – 1955 and Mid State Business College, Peoria, IL – 1956 – 1957.  He served in the U.S. Army, Sargent – honorable discharge 1960 – 1962 receiving sharpshooter badge with rifle bar. Melvin worked at the Roper Corporation, Appliance Group, Kankakee, IL as Senior Cost Analyst and Assistant Cost Supervisor – 1957 – 1989.

Melvin made you feel like you mattered. He was a good listener, great friend to many and passionate caregiver to his mother until her passing at age 94. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards, painting by number, and making model cars to scale.

Melvin was preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, Louise (Drechsel) (Rudolph) Zullo.

Memorials may be made to: Uplift Care, Bourbonnais, IL; Make-A-Wish Foundation, Chicago, IL; Pheasants Forever – Quail Forever, Morton, IL.

Please sign his guestbook at www.calvertmemorial.com