Lionel J. Cadwell

Lionel John Cadwell, 78, of River Rd., passed away on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital, Syracuse. He was born on July 21, 1947, in Utica, a son of the late John W. and Casalene C. (Oakes) Cadwell. He graduated from Hamilton High School and studied at Morrisville Agriculture and Technical College, where he received his automotive mechanic certification. On April 8, 1972, he married Linda Hahnle at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Hamilton. Lionel began his career as a mechanic for Trask Motors. He then served his country in the US Army during Vietnam from 1967 until 1970. Upon his discharge he returned to Trask Motors, where he worked until 1971, when he took a position at Hamilton Central School System, becoming head mechanic at the Bus Garage. In 1981 he began working for Madison-Oneida BOCES where he worked for over 30 years until his retirement in 2002 from the Verona campus. He loved woodworking, building tree houses, collecting model cars and airplanes, feeding the birds, nature walks, coffee at McDonalds with friends and visiting his buddies at the bus garage. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda; a sister-in-law, Barbara Cadwell of Oneida; Adam Jeffrey MacBain, who he treated like his own son; several nieces and nephews, Michael Wilcox, Stacey and Samuel Bishop, Regina and Bob Levine, Steve and Robin Cadwell, Matt and Penny Cadwell; many great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews, as well as numerous friends. He was predeceased by his parents; his in-laws, Robert C. and Lela M. "Lee" Hahnle; a brother Robert W. Cadwell; sister and brother-in-law, Catherine J. Cadwell Wilcox and Rev. Fr. James R. Wilcox, two nephews, Dickie and Tim Cadwell. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 11:00 am from the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 25 Broad St., Hamilton, NY 13346. Interment with Military Honors will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, Hamilton. Friends are invited and may call on Friday, September 12, 2025, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm To leave a condolence online of sign the book of memories, go to: www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lionel, please visit our floral store.