Bradley Waugh, 94, of rural Neponset, Ill. entered into eternity at 9:40 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 at Mercy One Hospital. He was born May 24, 1932 in Mercer County, Ill. the son of William and Mamie (Reitman) Waugh.

He grew up in rural Aledo, Ill. and was united in marriage to Frances Joanne Moreland on June 17, 1950, in Carthage, Ill. He is survived by two daughters Mary (Dan) Cooper of Cleveland, Ohio, Heather (David) Norberg of Davenport, Iowa, four sons, Roger (Sharon) Waugh of Neponset, Ill., Jeffrey (Julie) Waugh of Lindsborg, Kansas, Harlan (Liz) Waugh of Ooltewah, Tenn., and Christopher (Kristina) Waugh of Bettendorf, Iowa. Grandchildren include Nolan (Jane) Waugh, Emily (Raphael) Freas, Joshua Morgan, Caleb Waugh, Garret (Sonia) Waugh, Anna (Michael) Waugh, Micah Waugh, Elijah (Veronika) Waugh, Jacqueline Waugh, Claire (Paul) Larsen, Christopher Norberg, Becca (James) Hampton, Mikail (Kyle) Behrman, Hunter (Kevin) Coyle, Simon Waugh, and Josh (Crystal) Cooper, 20 great-grandchildren, one sister, Iris (Gerald) Paulsen and one sister-in-law Maribel (Robert) Jenkins.

Bradley was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his son, Jay Waugh and his siblings, Reese Waugh, Reed Waugh, Lavota Armstrong, William Waugh and two grandsons, Reese Waugh and Danny Cooper.

Bradley treasured his wife, his family, and the good life they built together on farms in Kewanee and Neponset, Ill. He was a cowboy in the best sense of the word: strong-willed, capable, larger than life, and a man who was born to stand out. Bradley had a presence that filled a room, and he loved nothing better than a house full of family and friends, good laughter and long hours around the dinner table. He loved farming and raising Holstein cattle, and he worked as a welder at International Harvester in Moline, where he put his mechanical gifts to good use.

He could fix anything, and if the right tool didn’t exist, he’d build one himself: including a hydraulic-powered wood splitter and so many other one-of-a-kind mechanisms that can still be found in one of the barns. He had a lifelong affection for tractors, cowboy boots, country music, Louis L’Amour novels, John Wayne movies, and keeping old International Harvester equipment running like new. But among the things he cherished most were the quieter evenings by the fireplace, reading the Bible aloud to his beloved wife. Bradley Waugh was a farmer with grease on his hands, good stories to tell, a hearty laugh, a deep love for his family, and a Bible open beside the fire.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, at the Golnick Family Funeral Home, Kewanee, Ill. Bradley’s son, Rev. Jeffrey Waugh, of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Lindsborg, Kan. will officiate. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Kewanee, Ill. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of services on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Kewanee High School Foundation, care of the Bradley & Joanne Waugh Memorial Scholarship.