Donald Bade, 73, of Rockport, Texas, passed away on August 7, 2025.

Donald Bade was born and raised in Momence, IL to George and Louise Bade on June 23,1952. He had one blue eye and one brown, a rare and unusual distinction. He graduated from Momence High School class of 1969 with the distinction of being awarded the distinguished title of ‘Class Clown,’ to good measure. This title earned him many friends and admirers over the years with his sharp sense of humor that everyone who met him always loved. If you knew Don, he was definitely one of the funniest people you’ve ever met, and he was always known to brighten up any room with his pure comedic nature. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor's degree in Zoology in 1974.

His post-collegiate life and career was involved with working in the refineries around Galveston, Texas for the Shell Oil company, and he later returned to the Momence area in the early 80s. He settled back into his family’s farming business and raised a flock of sheep and commodity crops on the Bade family farm in Momence after his parents retired from farming. He then met Cynthia Novak in the mid 80s and they were married in 1988, after which they started their Bade Farms fresh-cut flower business which ran for the next 25 years. They established themselves as the first wave of local area farmers to start the Chicago Farmers Markets in the late 80s, bringing their impressive fresh cut flowers from their fragrant fields in Momence to the city markets up north in Chicago several times weekly every summer/fall up until 2013. Don, along with Cindy, were vibrant members of the Kankakee County farming community and always remained a positive force in their intentions and their activities. They moved to their favorite coastal destination, Rockport, Texas, in 2024 permanently after years of seasonal visits, and developed a wonderful community of friends in the arts and political activism arenas.

Donald is survived by his son: Todd Novak; sister: Joy Alwes; brother-in-law: Marv Alwes; nieces: Lynette Kutz, JoEllen Pfeilstifter, Tina Hechtel, Mindy Haskell, and Sara Haskell; nephews: Randy Bade, Aric Haskell, and Matt Haskell; sisters-in-laws: Carol Bade, Carol Kessler, Janet Haskell, and Karen Haskell; and last but not least, best friends: Max and Jayne Maxfield.

Guestbook available online at www. resthavenfunerals.com

Arrangements and care entrusted to Resthaven Funeral Home, Aransas Pass.