Donald E. Fike, 78, of Tonica, Ill., passed away on January 16, 2026 at Manor Court of Peru with his loving wife by his side.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 22, at Tonica United Methodist Church with Rev Phil Jackson and Rev Bill Jacobsen officiating. Funeral services will be live-streamed via the Hurst Funeral Home Facebook page. Burial will immediately follow in Fairview Cemetery in Tonica. Visitation will be Wednesday, January 21, at Tonica United Methodist Church from 4 to 8 p.m. Additional visitation will be in the church on Thursday at 10 a.m. until the time of the services. The Hurst Funeral Home in Tonica has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.
He was born on June 11, 1947, in Peru. He spent roughly 30 years of his adult life living in Galesburg, returning home to Tonica in 2007 with Misty (Landergren) Fike, whom he married on December 28, 2012. Don was a proud father of his children: AJ (Katrina) Fike, Aaron (Cassandra) Fike, and Suzanne (Jared) Meeker. He cherished his grandchildren: Kylie, Lily, Emma, Milena, Dash, Jameson, and Goldie. He is survived by his sister, Linda Kaszynski, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert Fike and Goldie (Runyon) Fike, brother Robert Fike, and sister Elaine Guyaux. His first wife and friend, Marie (Dutkiewicz) Fike, also preceded him in death.
Don was a proud graduate of Tonica High School. He furthered his education at LPO/Illinois Valley Community College before receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois in 1969 and his Master’s degree in Administration of Rehabilitation Facilities from DePaul University in 1977. He was a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in the State of Illinois from 1980 to 2019.
Don was the first Executive Director of Horizon House in Peru, in 1969. It was there that his passion for serving others grew. In the late 1970s, he moved to Galesburg, assuming operations of a residential program for 270 individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. In 1979, he founded RFMS in Galesburg, providing consultation and administrative services for the more than 170 group homes and numerous senior care facilities that he would build over the next 50 years of his career. In the 1980s, he developed the Liberty Village Campus concept, building over 30 beautiful, state-of-the-art senior care facilities in Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Nevada, and South Carolina. He developed homes and care facilities that were both modern and accessible, yet practical and homelike. Don’s commitment to serving others impacted countless lives. His life’s work has provided a home and services to over 6,000 individuals each day and job opportunities for over 5,500 employees daily. He frequently visited the people living in his homes, continuing conversations and friendships he had developed over decades. These visits meant a lot to Don and those he visited.
Don was recognized many times throughout his life for professional and personal achievements and was always known as a tireless advocate for those he served. One of his most rewarding battles was on zoning ordinances restricting ID/DD individuals from living in certain locations. He fought to amend the Fair Housing Act, taking his message to the Today Show in 1989. He was humbled by being inducted into the Illinois Valley Community College Hall of Fame in 2010 for his contributions to mankind. He was also honored to serve on the Illini State Bank board of directors since 2004, becoming owner of the bank and Chairman of the Board in 2012. He fulfilled another dream by forming the Donald E. Fike Family Foundation in 2013, which will, for many generations, continue to bless other not-for-profit organizations that support the hard work and values that Don had and always instilled in others. He was invested in the success of not only his projects but also of the profession in which he made his career. His greatest investment was in educating and sharing his knowledge with colleagues to achieve greater outcomes for those he served.
For over 50 years, Don either raced, worked on, sponsored, or owned race cars. He developed a lifelong passion during his college years, assembling his first stock car. He drove at local tracks in Illinois, such as the Mazon Speedbowl, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. He continued his late-model driving career for many years and developed RFMS Racing in 1996. While operating RFMS Racing, he enjoyed considerable success with over 60 feature wins across the following series by his sons and other numerous drivers: NAMARS, UMARA, USAC, BADGER, Infiniti Pro, World Midget Championship, POWRi, and the ARCA Menards Series. He greatly enjoyed his racing friendships.
Don was a fan of all sports but most loyal to Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bears, and Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball. Extremely well-versed in all sports trivia, he enjoyed quizzing friends and colleagues. His Little League coaching days proved his competitiveness and drive to be the best. He was a skilled pilot, logging over 6000 hours during his 33 years of flying. Another lifelong hobby was hunting, and he was the proud owner of many coonhound dogs throughout his life. If you knew Don at all, you have heard a hunting story involving one of his best dogs, perhaps Rock or John. If you are really lucky, you may have even been referred to as a coon dog, which was just about the highest compliment you could receive.
Don was an active member of the Tonica United Methodist Church. He found solace and community there until his health made it too difficult for him to attend in person. He maintained contact through visits from Pastor Phil Jackson.
Don was an amazing friend, colleague, mentor, teacher and leader to all. He had an infectious energy and was quick to greet you with a smile and handshake. His presence will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Memorials may be directed to the Tonica Volunteer Fire Department or the Tonica United Methodist Church.