Champaign, IL.- Owen D. Bidner, 86, of Champaign, passed away at 1:35 P.M., Monday, November 1, 2010, at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M., Friday, November 5, 2010 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 509 S. Mattis Ave., Champaign. Rev. Donald Ehler and Rev. Jeff Caithaimer will officiate. Entombment will be held at Grandview Memorial Gardens, Champaign. Visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M., Thursday evening at the Renner-Wikoff Chapel, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana, IL.

Mr. Bidner was born December 12, 1923 in Mansfield, IL, a son of Julius and Elizabeth Lorenzen Bidner. He married Geraldine Kuntz in 1944. He later married Lois Warfel Swigart on August 4, 1983 in Pennsylvania. She survives. Also surviving are six children: Jack (JoAnn) Bidner of Gibson City, Cheryl(John) Johnson of Mahomet, Gary(Judy) Bidner of Colfax, Susan(Steve) Martin of Fisher, Gayle(Dick) Preston of Mahomet, and Kim(Marvin) Clemmons of Fisher; 5 Stepchildren: Joann Brown of Urbana, Jeanene Edmison of Creal Springs, IL, Robert Swigart of Fisher, Tim(Tina) Swigart of Tolono and Tom(Beth) Swigart of Tolono. 19 grandchildren: Julie(Davey) Mathis of Kiefer, OK, Neil(Beth) Bidner of Mahomet, Ryan(Amy) Johnson of Mahomet, Bret(Kara) Johnson of Mahomet, Dawn Bidner, Holly Holiday of Saybrook, Heidi Bottles of Saybrook, Scott Bidner of Bellflower, Jodi(Jason) Evelsizer of Champaign, Tami(Christopher) Mowrer of Tolono, Aimi Lemmon of Champaign, Chad Bidner of Washington State, Billie Bidner of Potosi, MO, Jamie Bidner of Potosi, MO, Travis Bidner of Potosi, MO, Sarah Martin of Gibson City, Jeff(Laurie) Jackson of Mahomet, Jordan Bidner of Fisher, and Jenna Clemmons of Fisher. 22 Step-grandchildren, and 41 Great-grandchildren and Step-Great-grandchildren; two sisters, Eunice Beetzel of Springfield, IL and Wilma Gombert of Geneseo; One step-brother, Paul(Arnita) Zimmerman of Bellflower.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, an infant brother, two sisters, two step-brothers, and a step-sister.

Mr. Bidner graduated from Bellflower High School and was a farmer in the Fisher and Mahomet area for many years. He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Champaign, and a past member of the Osman Lutheran Church, where he was a Sunday School Superintendant and member of the Lutheran Laymen's League. He enjoyed gardening, planting trees, feeding birds and bird watching, environmental conservation, and he especially enjoyed attending his grandchildrens' activities.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or St. John's Lutheran Church and School.