Luanne Mary Brown

Luanne Mary Brown, 74, of Cabool, passed away on Sep. 3, 2026, at Sunterra Springs in Springfield. Luanne was born on April 3, 1952, in Herscher, Ill., to Bernard and Louise Rivard. Raised in a multigenerational farming family, she spent many years working alongside her parents and brother on the family farm. She graduated from Herscher High School, earned an associate’s degree in liberal studies from Kankakee Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University in history and social studies, with minors in art history and English. A lifelong hard worker, Luanne often held multiple jobs, including positions at a country club, Roper Outdoor Products, Venture Stores, and a travel agency, as well as work as a waitress. Teaching, however, was her true passion. Even after retiring, she continued to serve local schools for many years as a substitute teacher. Luanne and Jerry first met over a game of pool. She played hard to get, but Jerry didn’t give up. What started as a friendly rivalry at the pool table grew into a lifelong partnership. They were married on March 16, 1984, and later celebrated their marriage at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Kankakee, Ill. Their marriage spanned more than four decades. Luanne and Jerry built a life together that included two family businesses. They first opened and operated a tavern in Kankakee, Ill., and later moved to Cabool, where they operated a liquor store. After many years of self-employment, they retired in September 2007. Luanne was deeply involved in the church, volunteering her time to clean and cook, serving as a lector and cantor, and spending many years as a CCD teacher. A member of several parishes over the years, she was respected and well known as a woman of deep Catholic faith who lived her beliefs with quiet strength and devotion.
A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Luanne had a special gift for making people feel at home. She never knew a stranger; she saw only friends she had not yet met. Always ready with a kind word or a listening ear, she welcomed others with an open heart. Music was one of her great joys. A gifted vocalist, she sang at church and performed at numerous events and weddings. She also enjoyed graphic design, reading, gardening, watching nature, bowling in many leagues, studying history and art, attending live music and theatre, and following the Green Bay Packers and Chicago White Sox. Her love of travel took her as far as England, Ireland, and much of the United States. Above all, she cherished time with her family. Luanne was a brilliant, educated woman of many talents, but her loved ones knew her best for always being present when they needed her. Whether at swim meets, cheerleading events, choir and band concerts, theatre productions, or any activity involving her children or friends, she traveled wherever she was needed and never missed an opportunity to show her support. Throughout her life, she was a rock her loved ones could always rely on. Luanne will be lovingly remembered for the warmth she shared so freely, her gift for making friends wherever she went, and her steadfast devotion to her family and faith. Her love and gentle spirit will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Louise Rivard; her parents-in-law, Clem and Dorothy Brown; and sister-in-law, Catherine Rivard. Luanne is survived by her husband, Jerry; her daughter, Kayla (Michael) Skelton, of New Boston, Texas; her son, Jack (Jamie), of Nixa; her daughter, Carrie Devore, of Bradley, Ill.; her grandchildren, Jemma and Jensen Brown, Savannah and Cody Crane, and Drew and McKenzie Devore; her brother, George Rivard; and her nieces, Suzie, Missy, and Maggie, who were dear to her. A visitation began at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2026, at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home in Mountain Grove, followed by a Rosary at 6 p.m. A funeral Mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sep. 9, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mountain Grove. On Friday, Sep. 11, 2026, a visitation was held from 9-11 a.m. at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais, Ill., followed by an interment at All Saints Cemetery in Bourbonnais, Ill. In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions to a charity of the donor’s choice or to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation in Luanne’s honor.