John Stephen Dudzik, 90, of Louisburg, Kansas, formerly of East Moline, Illinois, passed away peacefully on March 11, 2026. Born on December 5, 1935, in Moline, Illinois, to Andrew and Anna (Visvarda) Dudzik, he was the youngest of seven children. He graduated from Moline High School in 1953 and began his working life as a mechanic at Tisher Motors, where his lifelong passion for Mopar vehicles first took root.
After a period working as a telephone line installer for Western Electric in Chicago, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1954 to 1957. He completed boot camp in San Diego, California, and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, among other locations. Upon returning to civilian life, he began a 36-year career at John Deere’s Plow Planter Works in Moline as a second-generation toolmaker, retiring with a strong sense of pride in his craft.
In 1967, John met Helen Olender, and they married in September 1969 at St. James Catholic Church in Chicago. Together they raised two sons and built a close-knit family that grew to include two daughters-in-law, twelve grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. John found joy in working on cars, driving his R/T Charger, repairing anything that needed fixing, cheering for the Chicago Bears and the Fighting Illini basketball team, and most of all, spending time with his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his sons, David (Denna) Dudzik of Louisburg, Kansas, and James (Kris) Dudzik of Dyersville, Iowa; twelve grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. John was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Helen; his brother, Frank Dudzik; his sisters, Ann Jablon, Mary Bishop, and Carolyn Zelnio; and his two infant sisters.
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