Russell Eugene Brown

Russ Brown went to sleep in his home in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Saturday night and woke up Sunday morning, January 18, 2026, greeted by Sonya, his parents, and extended family on the streets of gold.

A Celebration of Russ’ Life will be held at Faith Walk World Outreach Center, Silvis, Illinois, on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 2:00 p.m. A meal, stories, and fellowship will follow the service. To honor Russ, kilts are encouraged.

Russell Eugene Brown was born on August 25, 1960, in Moline, Illinois, to Ralph Fayne and Carolynn Janeen (Russell) Brown. He soon earned the nickname “Rusty” due to his bright red hair. Rusty bypassed crawling as a baby, proceeding straight to running. This excessive energy and lack of need for sleep continued throughout his life.

Rusty’s childhood was full of adventures with cousins, extended family, friends, and neighbors who became family. Rusty didn’t have a single “best” friend but was the best friend to many during his lifetime. Russ believed from a young age that if you needed something he had, you could use it—whether it was his sister’s bike or his big truck.

Rusty was never afraid of hard work and began earning money mowing grass and shoveling snow for neighbors. At 14, he started delivering papers for the Times Democrat, now the QC Times. He was honored by the paper to represent Iowa on a trip to Portugal and Spain, which grew his love for travel. Rusty traveled to every state, but Door County, Wisconsin, held a special place in his heart, and he shared that love with his family.

At Moline High School, Rusty discovered carpentry and was accepted into the Building Trades Program, where he spent two years building a house from the basement up. His strong work ethic led to a part-time job through his teacher. While his friends were working at McDonald’s or Hardee’s, Russ was working as a carpenter’s assistant. Upon graduating in 1979, he began working full-time as a construction carpenter. In 1981, he started his own company, R & J Construction, with his brother-in-law, subcontracting house remodels. Russ and Jeff handled every aspect of home remodeling, often working four to five hours a night after their full-time jobs.

Growing up, Rusty played every sport but excelled at baseball and swimming. He swam for John Deere Junior High and Moline High School until he got his first “real” job to buy his big 4x4 truck. Russ continued to play softball through the church league at Moline Gospel Temple, where he pitched and played first base. He also loved skiing in Colorado, boating on the river, and riding his beloved Goldwing.

Church was not just a “Sunday thing” for Rusty; he could be found there four or more days a week. Moline Gospel Temple was a second home for over 25 years. Rusty explored every inch of the large facility—including basements, attics, boiler rooms, and roofs—not always with permission. With his sweet smile and warm personality, he could talk his way out of any situation and was often rewarded with extra snacks from the kitchen ladies.

His teenage years brought youth camp and music. Real Life Singers, a high school group that most people stayed in for three to four years, became Rusty’s passion. He had a talent for singing and a keen ear for mixing sound. During this time, Rusty grew into Russ, becoming a beloved friend and mentor to many younger members of the group. He may have been part of Real Life Singers longer than anyone else, from 1977 to 1985. In his young adult years, he also played Bob Cratchit in The Gospel According to Scrooge, the annual Christmas production at MGT.

It was at MGT that a pretty blonde caught Russ’s eye—Sonya Osborne. Sonya stole Russ’s heart, and they were married on July 18, 1986, at MGT. The couple moved to the Chicago area, where Russ worked as a carpenter. Life there was exciting and full of work, new places to eat, and city adventures.

In the mid-1990s, Russ began to feel his age and realized he didn’t want to build and flip houses forever. He started a new career driving semis over the road, and Russ, Sonya, and their two dogs moved back home to Geneseo. Russ loved driving, seeing the country, and the freedom to stop at interesting places along the way.

He left over-the-road driving when the center of his life changed with the arrival of a baby girl in 1999. Kristin Allene Brown became Russ and Sonya’s number-one priority. Russ responded in typical fashion—110% of his boundless energy was focused on Kristin. From swim lessons to selling Girl Scout cookies and later soccer, Russ was a hands-on dad.

Life soon brought another challenge when Sonya was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. Russ added the roles of encourager and caregiver to his already full life. He lost his beloved Sonya on February 13, 2010. Little did he know another great love story awaited him.

About two years later, Russ reconnected with a childhood friend from Moline Gospel Temple whom he hadn’t seen since 1976. That renewed friendship blossomed into a beautiful love story, and on August 15, 2014, he married Trudy Dyer. Russ and Trudy moved to Pennsylvania, where Russ managed a trucking hub and Trudy worked alongside him. Ohio was the next stop and marked the end of Russ’s work career after he underwent heart bypass surgery. They later settled back in Texas, where Trudy had raised her daughter, Trudy Marie.

Russ soon became “Papa”—first to Wesley and Emmy in Texas, then to Daniel and Mae in the Quad Cities. He loved his role as Papa, though he cared less for his role as a patient during various health challenges. Trudy was not only his wife and love but also the keeper of the schedule—endless doctor visits, procedures, and new medications. She kept Russ on the straight and narrow, and anyone who knew Russ understood what a big job that was.

Russ is survived by his love, Trudy; his children Kristin & Reece Argo of Long Grove, Iowa; and Trudy Marie & Dane Ware of Texas. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Wesley Earl Dean Ware, Emerson Fern Marie Ware, Daniel Russell Warren Argo, Mae Lynn Argo.

His siblings include Caralee & Jeffrey Rath, Aaron & Vicki Brown, Mindy & Jon Rodocker, all of the Quad Cities; Eric & Patrice Bjurstrom of Algonquin, Illinois; and Tiffany & Mel Bruce of California. He is also survived by his stepmother, Betty Brown, and step-siblings Angela, Audrey, and Tom Daniels. Russ was a hero to his many nieces and nephews, thanks to his collection of fun toys—big trucks, boats, an original trike, motorcycles, and jet skis. He is also survived by his Osborne family; Roy & Jean Mercer; Brenda Brown; and Gary & June Osborne.

Preceding Russ in death were his wife Sonya; his parents Ralph Brown and Carolynn & Les Bjurstrom; a special cousin, Brian Russell; and many extended family members.

To all those he left behind, Russ would leave this advice… Love Hard, Work Hard, Play Hard and get off the interstate and drive the back roads.

Online remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.