Donald S. “Cob” Sprout, 93, of Roseville, Illinois, passed away at 12:20 a.m., Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the Illinois Veteran’s Home, Quincy, Illinois. He was born May 25, 1932, in Monmouth, Illinois, the son of Loren and Beulah (Johnson) Sprout. He was raised and educated in and around the Greenbush/Roseville areas and graduated from Roseville High School in 1950.
He joined the United States Navy in January of 1953 and served until December 1954 on the USS Taylor DDE in the boiler room.
He married Betty Freeland on August 28, 1955, in the Roseville Methodist Church and she preceded him in death on May 1, 2009.
Those left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Deborah Brand of Branson, Missouri, and Barbara (Greg) Gibb of Smithshire; six grandchildren, Heather (Jason Fenton), Mitch (Emily) and Joe Gibb, Christine (Matthew) Hayes, Kyle Johnson and Ryan Johnson; four great-grandchildren, Alexis, Emily, Conrad, Ellison; brother, William “Bill” Loren Sprout, Jr. of Waunakee, Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Mary Gregory of Colchester, Illinois; brother-in-law, Robert Livingston of Kirksville, Missouri. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; infant son; brother, Irvin Sprout.
In his earlier life, Cob worked for Peterson Electric, Form Fit, a janitor at the Roseville elementary school and various other jobs. He later farmed and raised hogs (while working at Wilson’s) and cattle with his father and his brother. They also raised DeKalb Seed and he transported that seed via tandem truck with a DeKalb flying corn cob painted on the side, thus the nickname “Cob”, until his retirement in 2002. He then drove a school bus for the Roseville School District until he turned 80.
Cob was a member of the Roseville and Swan Creek United Methodist Churches for many years. He was a member of the Roseville Masonic Lodge, the Roseville American Legion Post 614 and VFW, the Warren County Fair Board for several years. He belonged to the CBS River Cabin Club, the Slaughter Squad deer hunting club, Team Catfish and Squirrel Camp. Cob and Betty were members of the Golden Wing Motorcycle Club.
Cremation rites have been accorded. A celebration of life will be held in the spring of 2026. Interment with Military Honors will be in the Roseville Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Roseville American Legion, Roseville United Methodist Church or the Roseville Community Fund (https://gcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1109) and left in the care of the funeral home. Moore Memorial Home, Roseville, is handling the arrangements. For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit our website at www.moorememorial.com.
