Brett James Holmes, 27, of Galesburg, died on Tuesday, March 18, 2026.
He was born March 10, 1999, in Galesburg, the son of Kevin D. and Heather M. (Griffith) Holmes.
He is survived by his parents, Kevin and Heather Holmes of Galesburg; his beloved dog, Larry; his grandmother, Coni Griffith of Galesburg; an aunt, Lydia (Colton Taylor) Griffith of Galesburg; an uncle, Wayne B. Hillman of Galesburg; and cousins and other extended family members. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, James Griffith and Dixie Dexter; and an uncle, Brett L. Holmes.
Brett graduated from Galesburg High School in 2017. He attended Carl Sandburg College and Augustana College. During his grade school years, he played JFL for the Vikings and spent every weekend wrestling in tournaments for the IKWF. While in junior high school, he participated in football and wrestling. Brett’s true passion was wrestling, and he continued throughout his high school years. He learned to play the guitar when he was younger, and could still play “Jessie’s Girl” upon request. Brett enjoyed fishing and golf, and spending time in nature with his dog, Larry.
Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral and Cremation Services. Funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. Burial will be in East Linwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the family to establish a fund to help dogs. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.h-p-w.com.
