Noble "Bo" Brown (79) of Trilla

Noble L. “Bo” Brown, 79, of Trilla, Illinois, passed away Friday, November 11, 2022 at Copper Creek Cottages in Mattoon, Illinois.

Memorial services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, November 18 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham, Illinois. Private family burial will be in Boles Cemetery in Trilla at a later date. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or donor’s choice. Online condolences may be left by clicking here.

Noble was born November 13, 1942, in Effingham,, the son of Eugene and Doris (Rathgeber) Brown. He married Loleta Sue Kirchhoff December 2, 1962 in Clinton, Illinois.

They had been married for 52 years when she passed away in 2015. They built a life just outside of Trilla in an old farmhouse, where they raised their sons Doug and Dave, until they built a new house on the spot in 1984. They had great friends and neighbors and became part of the Trilla community. 

Bo loved everything about horses, particularly quarter horses with a good pedigree and composition. He owned many of his own through the years, from his first horse Swanee, to several ponies, and many registered quarter horses and paint horses, all with short nicknames like Sam, Bill and Bar that could be yelled when the need arose.  

Noble worked for Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company for over 35 years. He started in 1966 with the company as a maintenance worker, and when he retired in 2002, it was from the position of Vice President/Director of Sales. He was a true people person and had many friends among his coworkers and clients. Bo was known to go against the flow, and he always looked for ways to test the status quo. He dressed as a true businessman in suit and tie but finished the outfit with his cowboy boots. 

Bo was a lifelong Chicago Bears and St. Louis Cardinals fan, as well as Fighting Illini basketball and football. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He liked to have them help with projects, make them pancakes, and take them to McDonalds. He never missed any of their concerts, school events, or sports games.  

In the last year, Bo lived first at Brookstone Estates in Effingham, and then moved on to Copper Creek Cottages in Mattoon. Bo made many friends at both facilities and flirted with the staff at every opportunity. The care he received at both facilities was amazing, and it helped him thrive in his last months. 

Bo is survived by his sons, Doug (Amy) Brown of Toledo and David (Rhonda) Brown of Greenup; grandchildren, Daniel Brown of Wheeler IL, Sarah Brown of Solon Springs, WI, and Justin Brown of Murphysboro, IL; brothers, Galen Brown of Effingham, Jerry “Jug” (Angela) Brown of Sebring, FL, Dennis Brown and Royce Brown both of Effingham; sisters-in-law, Betty A. Brown, Betty B. Brown, Carolyn Brown all of Effingham, Joyce Stibal of Jackson, TN and Nancy Kirchhoff of Chapel Hill, TN; brother-in-law, Dallas Kingery of Effingham; and many nieces and nephews.     

In addition to his wife, Loleta Brown, Bo was preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Doris Brown; brothers, Ronald Brown, Larry “Lug” Brown and Lynn P. Brown; and sisters-in-law, Sarah Brown and Hazel Kingery.