Lynn P. Brown (78) of Effingham

Lynn P. Brown, 78, of Effingham, IL, passed away on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital In Effingham.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. Burial will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park in Effingham, IL with military rites. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Enduring Freedom Ministries. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.

Lynn was born on March 17, 1944, in Effingham, IL, the 6th (out of 8) son of Eugene and Doris (Rathgeber) Brown. Lynn graduated from Effingham High School in 1962. He attended Eastern Illinois University for three years before joining the United States Army, serving from 1966-1969 with 11 months (1966-1967) in Pleiku South Vietnam. He married Carolyn Brewer on February 3, 1968 at the Jewett Christian Church in Jewett.

Lynn worked in banking at Illinois Guarantee Savings and Loan and Effingham State Bank for many years prior to becoming the local Veterans Service Officer with the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs. While working at IDVA, Lynn was named employee of the quarter and later employee of the year. Throughout his years of service, he helped countless number of Veterans locally and nationwide and continued helping even after retirement. Lynn was humble about himself but found joy in helping and honoring others. He enjoyed spending time with his two daughters and his grandsons as well as family and friends. He loved all kinds of music (especially Elvis), playing drums, piano, guitar, and banjo, his 1983 brown Buick, his 1946 Willys Jeep and being first in line at school pick up. He never met a stranger and would go above and beyond to do anything to put a smile on someone’s face. He was an avid tomato grower, lawn mower, squirrel watcher and overall outdoor kind of guy. There would never be a time that Daylight Donuts, fresh produce from the Zimmermans and fresh peaches shipped in from Georgia, would not make an appearance in the house not to mention his love for illumination (inside or out). He would frequently be referred to as Clark Griswold of Effingham by his family.

Lynn is survived by his wife, Carolyn Brown of Effingham; daughters, Tonya Brown Siner and Shelby (Kurt) Overbeck both of Effingham; grandsons, Patrick, Parker and Preston Siner, and Karter Overbeck; his beloved cat L.J.; brothers, Galen Brown of Effingham, Jerry “Jug” (Angela) Brown of Sebring, FL, Noble “Bo” Brown of Trilla, Dennis Brown and Royce Brown both of Effingham; sisters-in-law, Betty A. Brown and Betty B. Brown both of Effingham; and many nieces and nephews, who meant the world to him.

He was preceded in death by his parents Doris and Gene Brown; infant granddaughter, Peyton Renea Siner; brothers, Ronald Brown and Larry “Lug” Brown; sisters-in-law, Loleta Brown and Sarah Brown; and niece, Kelly Brown.