In sadness, we announce the passing of John G. Lincicum, 86, of Elizabeth, IL, who died on Monday, December 1, 2025, at UPH Finley Hospital in Dubuque, IA. A gathering will be held from 5 to 7 PM on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the Furlong Funeral Chapel in Galena, IL. Burial of the cremated remains will take place at a later date. He was born on January 6, 1939, in Warren, IL, to John L. and Esther (Barker) Lincicum. John was a lifelong farmer who loved the land dearly. He served in the National Guard for 8 years, joining in 1957 and leaving in 1965, where he worked as a cook. He also worked as a cook at the Silvia Dotsel restaurant in Elizabeth. John was a dump truck driver for various construction companies. He loved to drive and travel, working as a tour bus driver for many years, which took him to three countries and 39 U.S. states. John loved to show Johnny and Mouse (his son John and granddaughter Kathryn) all the places he had traveled by pointing them out on an Atlas. He also loved working outdoors on the farm, in the yard, or fixing cars; he could repair just about anything. Some of John’s favorite activities included cooking for others, reading history books, watching old cowboy movies, telling stories, spending time with family, looking at old tractor books, and listening to “In the Garden” by Alan Jackson. He married Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Eucker on September 1, 1972, and they separated in 1991. Known as “Big John,” he was famous for making people laugh, his incredible strength, and his selflessness, especially towards animals, particularly his beloved dog Cocoa. John loved to make others laugh and was quick with sarcasm and jokes. He was a wonderful grandfather and had a close bond with his granddaughter, Kathryn. They shared a secret handshake called the lumberjack handshake, which they performed every time they saw each other and had been doing for about 16 years. A born farmer, John was powerful; a memorable instance was in the parking lot of the old school in Elizabeth, when, at age 51, he impressively lifted the back two tires of his son’s 1984 Toyota pickup off the ground using just his fingers—something three high school boys couldn’t replicate. In his late 20s, while working on a 1953 Buick Century, he lifted a Buick Nailhead V-8 engine over the grille of the car, about 660 pounds. During National Guard training, he carried an injured fellow soldier and their gear for about 3 miles, eventually saving his life by jumping on the back of a tank while holding the soldier and their gear. John loved animals deeply. Once, he pulled over on the side of the road to rescue a coyote hit by a car, placed it in the backseat of his pristine 1961 Buick Electra, and brought it home to care for it alongside his other dogs, even feeding it bacon. A selfless man, John would give you the shirt off his back or his last dollar and loved to help others whenever he could. John is survived by his son, John H., of Elizabeth; two granddaughters, Kathryn Clancy-Lincicum of Fargo, ND, and Abigail (Blake) Howerton of Kansas City, MO; a sister, Carol Woker; and a close friend and mother of his grandchildren, Colleen “Kelly” Clancy-Lincicum. He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Harold, Roger, Marjorie, Dorothy, Beulah, Jean, and Bessie, and a grandson, Kayne Clancy-Lincicum.
John G. Lincicum
