Arlee Eugene "Gene" Camden

Still Running Against the Wind

Arlee Eugene "Gene" Camden, 75, of Bridgeport, Illinois, passed away on November 10, 2026, at Haven of Bridgeport.

Gene was born December 8, 1950, in Laramie, Wyoming, to Arl and Glenna Camden. Though he took pride in his Wyoming birthplace, southern Illinois was the place he always called home. He grew up around Flat Rock, the youngest of three boys, developing a love for the outdoors and the kind of independence that would define much of his life.

As a young man, Gene loved football and played at Robinson High School. His passion for the game stayed with him long after his playing days.

Gene was a man who knew how to work with his hands. Over the years, he made his living in the timber industry, including owning and operating Camden Custom Cutting, a sawmill and logging business in southern Illinois. He understood the weight of a log, the grain of a board, and the satisfaction of making something useful from the land. He took pride in his work and in building something of his own.

His life carried him between Illinois and Texas more than once. He spent years in Mount Carmel and Grayville, and later operated a bar in Birds. But no matter where he went, Illinois had a way of calling him back.

Eventually, that road led him to a little river camp outside Bridgeport, along the Embarras River. Of all the places Gene lived, perhaps none suited him better.

There, life could be lived on his own terms. A fishing pole, a good stretch of river, a dog nearby, and familiar faces around a table were often all he needed. He loved catching catfish, and he was just as happy cooking them for others. Fish fries became a familiar part of life at camp, as did his chili, the occasional turtle or frog legs, and whatever his garden happened to produce. He took particular pride in his tomatoes.

Gene enjoyed people, even if he didn't always need a crowd. He appreciated a good laugh, a little flirting, a competitive game of euchre, and the company of friends who knew him well. He played to win, whether the game was cards or checkers with his grandchildren, and he wasn't above reminding everyone else of the rules.

He loved cars almost as much as he loved talking about them. A mechanic in his younger years, Gene had a particular fondness for his 1970 GTO, a car he never quite stopped remembering. In later years, he became a Ford truck man. And somewhere in the background, there was often Bob Seger, whose songs seemed to fit the roads Gene traveled and the life he lived.

Gene was a private man, independent in thought and stubborn in spirit. He was not someone who needed the world to understand him, and he rarely felt compelled to explain himself. He could be set in his ways, but he also knew the value of laughter, friendship, a good meal, and a day spent doing exactly what he pleased.

His life was not without hardship, and it was never a straight or easy road. He experienced success and loss, made his share of memories, and lived through chapters that only those closest to him could fully know.

But through all the places he went and all the years that passed, certain things remained: the woods, the water, the work of his hands, the music he loved, and the freedom to live life his own way.

In the end, it was the simple things that seemed to matter most. A river he knew by heart. A fishing line in the water. Friends gathered for a meal. The sound of laughter drifting across the camp.

And perhaps that is where Gene is best remembered. Not in the noise of the world, but somewhere along the Embarras, where the current keeps moving and the wind still blows. 

Still Running Against the Wind.

Gene is survived by his mother, Glenna Camden of Robinson, Illinois; his brother, Doug Camden of Robinson; his wife; four children; four stepchildren; and several grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Arl Camden, and his brother, Roger Camden, and Roger's wife, Connie.

A time of visitation will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Flat Rock, Illinois. A graveside service will immediately follow at Jones Cemetery, with Celebrant Curt Goodwine officiating.

In honor of Gene's love for the Embarras River, memorial contributions may be made to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Memorial envelopes will be available at the funeral home.