Jeffrey W. Gain

Jeffrey W. Gain, age 82, of Hardin, IL, died May 26, 2022, at St Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, MO, with his children at his side. He was born August 21, 1939 in Rushville, IL, the son of Leslie W Gain and Vergil R (Everman) Gain. He married Judith Shaw of Appleton, WI and they had daughters Ann Gain (Gregory Swanson) of Appleton, WI and Gretchen Gain (Kim Hamalainen) of Chicago, IL. He later married Antoinette Mann of St. Louis, MO and they had a son Jeffrey W Gain II of St Louis, MO. All survive.

Also surviving are his 4 grandchildren, Kai and Marta Swanson and Tucker and Dashiel
Hamalainen, as well as his brother Joel L. Gain.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Allen E. Gain.

Jeff grew up in Rushville, IL. He worked at the family business Gain Greenhouse alongside his
dad and uncle Ernest Gain. He graduated from Rushville High School in 1957 and the University of Illinois in 1961. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1962 where he served 3 ½ years. He served as county manager for several county Farm Bureaus then later as director of marketing for the Illinois Farm Bureau. He next became executive director of the American Soybean Association and then chief executive officer of the National Corn Growers Association before retiring to his farm and some consulting works in Calhoun County, IL. He was active with the McCully Heritage Project, serving on the board for many years.

Jeff had a love for growing all things (he had the “Gain Green Thumb”), animals (especially
Duffy his beloved canine companion), good conversation, starting the day with breakfast with
friends and telling jokes. He only liked two kinds of pie, hot pie and cold pie.

Cremation rites have been accorded. There will be no visitation. Graveside services will be held
on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. in the Astoria Cemetery, Astoria, IL Military rites will be provided by the Astoria American Legion Post #25. Memorials may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 or to McCully Heritage Project, 592 Crawford Creek Road, Kampsville, IL 62053.

A celebration of Jeff’s life will be held at Illinois Riverdock Restaurant in Hardin, IL on July 10, 2022, from 12 p.m.-3 p.m.