James Theodore Coble Jr.

James Theodore Coble, Jr.

Sept. 28, 1935 - Nov. 2, 2022

DECATUR - James Theodore Coble, Jr., 87, of Decatur, IL, lost his battle to cancer but passed away peacefully with his family near his side and went to join his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on November 2, 2022.

A service to celebrate Jim's eternal life will be held on 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 10, 2022, at Salem Baptist Church, 2650 S. Taylorville Rd, Decatur, IL, with Pastor Gerald Thompson officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the South Macon Township Cemetery, Macon, IL. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation on Wednesday evening from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home, Macon, IL. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawsonwikoff.com or Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home, 971 Prescott Court, Macon, IL, 62544.

James T. Coble, Jr. was born on September 28, 1935, to James T. Coble and T. Corena Coble near the little Wabash river, Louisville, IL, on a self-sustaining farm in a hurriedly built three room house; his parents had rushed to Il to escape the Oklahoma dust storms. Jim grew up on a farm in Louisville, with his parents, sisters, Priscilla, Glenda, Arilla, and his brothers, Bill, Alton. He served in the Navy from 1953 - 1956, on the destroyer, USS John R. Craig, and then began working for IBM as a customer service engineer soon after his return. He worked 35 years for IBM before retiring; always thankful for the life-long friends that he made there.

Jim married Mary Hinkle Novak on November 7, 1959 in Decatur, IL. They remained in Decatur where they raised five children, all of whom greatly appreciate the love that their parents showed to one another for just short of 55 years. Jim was known as a fix-it guy that assisted whomever he could, whenever he could, whether it was fixing cars, machines, or cutting down trees. He always loved to learn in order to keep his body, mind, and faith strong.

Jim's hobbies were playing his mandolin, songwriting//singing, listening to bluegrass//gospel music, gardening, fishing, tinkering, praying and reading//studying his Bible. He loved to tell stories to others that included humor, compassion, life lessons, and his love for the Lord. He was very loved by all those that knew him.

Surviving are his three sons: Larry Novak, Michael (Valarie) Coble, Robert Coble; and his two daughters: Cindy (Jeff) Denning, Kathy (Ron) Scammahorn; five grandsons: Matthew, Andrew, David, Stephen, Keith; two granddaughters: Kayla, Jessie; one granddaughter-in-law, Amber; and one great-granddaughter, Sadie Grace. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; sister, Priscilla; and brothers: Alton and Bill.

The family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and encouragement throughout the last five months as Jim fought the cancer with a brave and positive attitude until the end. Memorial donations can be made to Cancer Care Center of Decatur or the Covenant House New York - Under 21, Inc.