The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The Henderson County Coroner’s Office presented its 2025 annual report to the county board at the January meeting. The report highlighted a year of significant transition following the retirement of long-time Coroner Kris Beals and the assumption of duties by newly elected Coroner John Fedler.
Beals retired on December 2, 2024, after more than 42 years of dedicated service, making him the second-longest serving coroner in Illinois at the time of his departure. The report praises Beals for his professionalism and commitment, noting that he will be greatly missed by the community.
With the leadership change, Fedler prioritized several key initiatives to modernize the office. A major focus was securing a dedicated space for operations.
Previously, the coroner’s office had been run out of the former coroner’s funeral home business in Stronghurst.
After an extensive search, including proposals to build a new facility on county-owned property, the office relocated to the Biggsville Ambulance Barn in Biggsville.
Department upgrades also included the acquisition of a BioSeal Body Bag System, which eliminated the need for an expensive exhaust fan installation in the shared facility. Additionally, a new three-person mortuary cooler was purchased from American Mortuary Cooler and Equipment for $12,227.32 and installed in the Ambulance Barn.
Fedler also developed and implemented the first-ever written Policy and Procedure Manual. The manual provides a consistent operational framework, ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, and helps manage risks while reducing potential liability for the county.
After thorough research and drafting, the manual was reviewed by Susan Maxwell, who at the time was the Henderson County State’s Attorney, revised as needed, signed, and filed with the Henderson County Clerk’s Office.
The report also presented detailed death statistics for the county. In 2025, Henderson County recorded a total of 61 deaths, an increase of 4 from 2024. Nearly all (59 of 61) were residents of the county.
The Coroner’s Office conducted full investigations at 18 death scenes, a decrease of 12 from the previous year, and completed case summaries for all 61 deaths. Of the 18 cases under the coroner’s jurisdiction:
Only 2 autopsies were performed in 2025, down by 1 from 2024.
The 4 accidental deaths (up by 1 from 2024) included:
The single suicide involved a gunshot wound to the head, marking a decrease of 1 from 2024. There were no homicides or undetermined deaths in 2025, consistent with the prior year.
Of the 56 natural-cause deaths, leading contributors were:
Fedler emphasized that the thorough death scene investigative summaries provide valuable, comprehensive information to elected officials, law enforcement, medical professionals, and the public.