Brodie Curtis Westen

MACOMB, IL – Brodie Curtis Westen, 89, of Macomb, Illinois passed away at 7:05 p.m., Thursday, July 29, 2021, at the Elms Nursing Home, in Macomb, surrounded with the love of his children and grandchildren, brother and son-in-law and daughters-in-law. He was born on June 13, 1932, in Marquette, Michigan, to Brodie Carl and Blanche Curtis Westen. He married Sarah Jane Mullen, on February 3, 1960, in Champaign, Illinois. She passed away on March 15, 2018, after 58 years of marriage. He was also preceded in by his parents. He is survived by his children, Curt (Sue) Westen of Castle Rock, Colorado, Kristi (Jim) Dakin of Macomb, Joe (Beth) Westen of Macomb, Stu (Ginger) Westen of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, Rob (Amy) Westen of Macomb, Rich (Cheryl) Westen of Macomb and Tony (Leslie) Westen of Macomb; 14 grandchildren, Erik (Amber Clark) Dakin, Brodie Dakin (Kelsey Fischer), Lauren (Zach) Thomas, Caleb Westen, Max Dakin, Breeden Jones, Bryce Westen, Mason Westen, Zachary Westen, Delaney Westen, Dane Westen, Cade Westen, Zoey Westen and Abigail Westen; 2 great-grandchildren, Larissa Clark and Jaxton Dakin; one brother, Charles Westen of Franklin, Tennessee; brother-in-law, Jerry D. Mullen of Sidney, Illinois and several nieces and nephews. He was a graduate of Graveraet High School in Marquette, Michigan and served in the US Navy on light cruiser USS Juneau during the Korean War. He returned to Marquette and graduated from Northern Michigan University where he entered the coaching profession as an assistant in football and basketball. He was a graduate assistant football coach at the University of Illinois under Ray Elliot in Champaign, where he met and married Sarah Jane. He moved to Rockford, Illinois where he was a football coach and teacher at Rockford West High School from 1961 to 1965 and later athletic director. He was inducted into the Rockford Sports Hall of Fame. He returned to University of Illinois as an assistant football coach from 1968 to 1970. He became an assistant football coach at Western Illinois University in 1971 and then head coach in 1974 and 1975 and was voted by the media as Illinois Coach of the Year in 1975. He was inducted into the Western Illinois University Hall of Fame. He had a very close relationship with the football players he coached and they remained dear to him throughout his life. Many of the players continued to visit and call him until he passed away. In 1975, he made the difficult decision to exit coaching and bought into a beverage distributorship in Macomb. The Brodie Westen Company was a family business that he proudly ran for over 20 years until his retirement. He was a resident of Macomb for more than 50 years and deeply loved the community. He served on the Macomb School Board and various other local governmental authorities. He was a member of the Macomb Country Club where he was past president twice, Macomb Elks, the Masonic Lodge, Macomb American Legion, Macomb Building and Planning Commission and the Macomb Airport Authority. Brodie and Jane were the guiding lights in the lives of their children and grandchildren and had countless dear friends from the Macomb community. They were held dear by friends from the members of Brodie’s teams, from Marquette and from other places they lived. Brodie’s love of family, friends, the Macomb community and Western Illinois University will always be cherished. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Macomb with Mark Hendrickson officiating. Full Military rites were conducted following the service at the church parking lot by the Macomb American Legion and Macomb VFW. Visitation was held from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday, August, 2, 2021, at Clugston-Tibbitts Funeral Home in Macomb. Cremation rites was accorded after the services. Private burial of ashes was held at Oakwood Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Brodie and Jane Westen Scholarship Endowment in care of WIU Foundation. You may leave condolences and sign the guest book online at clugston-tibbitts.com.