Bill Hadl was an easy-going guy who made friends everywhere he went. “Stranger” was not in his vocabulary, his sisters said.

Hadl died June 26 at 77. Services with full military honors will be 10 a.m. Friday at the Holy Family Cemetery.

Hadl was the oldest of nine siblings and was close with them throughout his life. They grew up on a farm in Eudora, and he graduated from Eudora High School in 1965. Hadl joined the Marines during the Vietnam War after turning 18.

After the military, he continued a life of public service by working as a volunteer firefighter and longtime employee of the city’s water department.

His sister Nancy Higbie said his even-keeled attitude was what made him special, and his ability to socialize with anyone. He was always willing to help his family or anyone, she said.

“He never seemed to raise his voice or have a temper or nothing like that,” she said. “His personality was calm. I’ve never seen the guy mad ever. I’m sure he was, but as a sibling, I have never seen it.”

His sister Patty Gifford shared the sentiment. Being the oldest made him responsible.

“When I think about Bill, I see him smiling,” Gifford said. “I never saw the man frown or be mad or upset.”

As the oldest sibling when many of the siblings were significantly younger, he was also a fatherly figure, his sister Marilyn Weeks said.

“He’s always the one that kind of had the wisdom,” she said. “He was somebody to look up to.”

Hadl and his family grew up going to Holy Family Catholic Church. He was an altar boy for years when he was young.

When Hadl was a teenager, he dressed up as Santa Claus for the younger siblings around Christmas. He also would dress up at City Hall for the community children.

Gifford said it was something he loved as he looked forward to passing out candy to the kids.

One of Gifford’s favorite memories was Hadl riding a moped around town.

“He rode that little scooter everywhere, and I can still see him,” she said. “It was a funny sight.”

His close friend of many decades, former Police Chief Bill Long, said he’ll miss seeing Hadl and having him stop by the house or going antiquing. The two became friends around the ‘60s, he said.

Hadl was willing to do anything for anyone, Long said. He was all-around just a nice guy, Long said. Long remembers going on trips, specifically one to Branson, with Hadl.

Higbie treasures the trips Hadl took them on to Minnesota, where their mom was from. He would always take a sibling with him and remembers one time he took her over to Canada.

Hadl loved deer hunting with his late brother Jim.

In recent years, he was an avid bird-watcher and told his sisters when he would see hummingbirds or orioles.

He loved watching the Chiefs and Royals and drinking coffee with his friends in Eudora, Higbie said. He had many dachshunds over the years, but the one named Bourbon was especially important to him.

He was a good-natured man who enjoyed his life, Higbie said.

Barb Seiwald got to know Hadl since she was in charge of the Holy Family cemetery, and Hadl dug the graves.

“Just remember that he was always friendly, always had a smile,” she said.

Hadl is survived by his daughter, Roxene Findley and husband Chris, and son William Hadl as well as sisters Betty Lou Miller, Marilyn Weeks, Nancy Higbie, Lorie Hadl, Patty Gifford and Connie Larson.

Hadl’s full obituary is available by clicking here. 

This article was updated related to Hadl’s military service.

Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]. 

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