Kevin F. Flesner, age 68, of Payson, Illinois, passed away on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at TimberPointe Healthcare in Camp Point. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri to Floyd and Diane Sue (Holt) Flesner.

Kevin worked in the trucking industry for over 40 years as a truck driver then moving into management and ending as a dispatcher mostly with Sharkey Transportation in Quincy.

Kevin was a man who loved the outdoors with his whole heart. A devoted member of the United Bowhunters of Illinois, he served multiple terms on the organization’s board, spending countless hours advocating for traditional bowhunting and conservation before the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois General Assembly. He was a proud NRA member, and a steadfast defender of Second Amendment rights causes he believed in deeply and pursued without compromise.

But it was in the woods, bow in hand, where Kevin was most himself. He hunted not for glory, but for the pure joy of it never taking himself too seriously, always ready with a story that could hold a room. His sense of humor, his stubbornness on matters of principle, and his absolute loyalty made him the kind of friend most people only hope to find. Those who hunted with him chasing squirrels through the timber and trading tales afterward count those days among the best of their lives.

One of Kevin’s joys in his later years was passing that love of the outdoors to his grandchildren, Mason, Nolan, and Cadence. He took delight in teaching them archery and the ways of the outdoors, sharing with them the same passion that had defined so much of his own life.

Kevin would help anyone, anytime, no questions asked. That was simply who he was.
He is survived by his children, Kristi Roark and Allen Flesner (Janna); grandchildren Mason, Nolan, and Cadence; and siblings Chris Steinkamp (Phil), Kathy Merritt, Koleen Lord (Rodney), Kelly Points (Eric), Keith Flesner, and Kurt Flesner (Shelley), along with numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Suzanne Flesner, who passed in infancy.

Cremation rites have been accorded. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Duker & Haugh Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials can be made to National Archery in the Schools Program.