Jerry Brown
Jerry Eugene Brown was born November 7, 1942, at Bell
Memorial Hospital (renamed University of Kansas Medical Center) in
Kansas City, Kansas. He peacefully passed away on Monday, April 7,
2025 at the Delmar Gardens of Lenexa Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center (Lenexa, KS). Jerry was the eldest of eight children born to the
union of the Late Ruth Alice Moore Brown and Walter Brown (KCK).
As a young child, Jerry accepted Christ and was baptized by the Late
Rev. I. H. Henderson, Sr., pastor of the Eighth Street Baptist Church (KCK)
where Jerry was an active member until he began his military service.
While on active duty in the U. S. Navy and stationed in San Diego, Jerry
met and married Jeanette Palmer Brown. To that union, three (3) sons
were born: Anthony “Tony” Brown, Andre Enrique Brown and Alex Jason
Brown.
Jerry’s youngest son, Jerry Dwight Brown, was born during Jerry’s
second marriage — to Sharon Overby Brown. He was separated from his
third wife, Sharon Lucas Brown.
Education and Social Development
A product of the then segregated “North End” community of Kansas
City, KS., Jerry attended both Dunbar North and Dunbar South Elementary
Schools, Northeast Junior High School, and Sumner High School — all in
Unified School District 500, KCK.
As a child, Jerry was a quick learner who exhibited a creative and
inquiring mind. He was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout throughout his
childhood and adolescence. He enjoyed reading; he was a comic book
enthusiast; and he loved to work with his hands.
Jerry made pea-shooters, slingshots, bows-and-arrows, tin-can walkie-
talkies, and tin-can shoes (with ropes attached, to control balance and
maneuvers). Then he graduated to designing and building scooters and
Soapbox Derby race cars (one of which he drove one summer in a Derby
Race at Swope Park (KCMO).
His architectural aptitude first emerged when, as a pre-teen, Jerry
designed and constructed “The Jungle” — a For Fellas ONLY hide-out
down in Rattle Bone Hollow North, which was across the alley behind the
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Brown’s home. “The Jungle” included a Club House, fire pit and various
trails and escape paths.
Beginning in grade school and continuing through Grade 12, Jerry scored
high on the standardized tests and was academically “tracked” into the
accelerated courses.
As a pre-teen, Jerry earned money by throwing newspapers, cutting
lawns and shoveling snow. In his adolescence, he emerged as the leader
among his neighbor-hood friends — except for his nemesis and bully (a kid
named Alvin) who “beat him up” every time he visited his grandmother who
lived on our block at 3 rd & Rowland Ave., KCK.
Once he held “a real job” and bought his first car (which he named “Dap
Daddy”), Jerry underwent a transformation: He became preoccupied with
girls, cars, “coolness” — and his high school side-kicks (Gus, Wendell,
Herbie, “Tex” and “Monk”). High school probably marked the beginning of
Jerry’s life-long philosophy and lifestyle of “flying by the seat of my pants”
— which often caused him to fall short of his goals.
Although Jerry matriculated with Sumner’s Class of 1960, due to a
credit deficiency, he did not graduate; instead, at age 18, Jerry he earned a
GED and joined the U. S. Navy.
Military Service, Volunteer Work and Employment
After joining the Navy, Jerry completed Boot Camp at Clark Air Force
Base in San Diego, CA. He worked on Special Projects with submarines
and aircraft (like in the movie “Top Gun”) that required a “top security
clearance”. He became a Mechanic for the Anti-Kill Submarine Division,
and he was also a Mechanics Training Instructor, teaching other sailors
how to repair both jets and helicopters. Jerry’s Navy career also allowed
him to visit such places as the Philippines, China, and Japan. He ended his
active military service as a non-commissioned officer, having earned the U.
S. Navy’s fifth enlisted rank: E-5 (Paygrade) rank Petty Officer Second
Class (PO2) — the
equivalent of an Army or Marine sergeant or an Air Force staff sergeant.
He later became a Navy recruiter.
While married with children, after resuming civilian life, Jerry
rediscovered his love of music, gadgets and tinkering. At each of his New
Jersey homes, Jerry built and installed ventilated fireplaces and maintained
an impressive library of books and records.
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As hobbies, he did Disc Jockey (DJ) gigs for parties and other events,
and he built stereo systems. Later, he owned and managed a record store
in Toms River and Eaton Town (NJ); and for a while he was a DJ at a New
Jersey radio station.
He revived his boyhood interest in Boy Scouts of America, volunteering for
several years as Scout Leader of Long Branch Troop #148 while raising his
youngest son whom he nicknamed “Charlie Brown”. He took his son and
others on many camp trips, taught them various wilderness survival skills,
and helped direct their progress from “Tenderfoot” to “Eagle Scout” ranks.
Later Jerry was employed for many years as a successful salesman for
Sneider- Nelson Porsche Dealership (Long Branch, NJ) where he sold
luxury cars, such as Porche, Ferrari’s Alfa Romeo, Land Rover and Audi
automobiles. His salesmanship skills enabled him to live a lavish lifestyle
and enjoy world-wide travels.
Health and Psychological Challenges
After living on his own terms for 60 years in his beloved New Jersey, in
2017, after he was diagnosed with early dementia, Jerry was forced to
move back to his hometown, KCK, where he could be assisted by his
younger siblings. His brother “Butch” (Walter) and his wife (Lillie) moved
Jerry into their home. Later Jerry chose apartment living in Wyandotte
County and Olathe and was employed for three years as a security guard,
until dementia prevented him from driving and working. Since 2021,
younger sister, Phyllis, graciously assumed responsibility as Jerry’s
caregiver and Power of Attorney.
Sunset: April 7, 2025
Jerry Eugene Brown was preceded in death by his parents, his
sister Jacquelyn “Jackie” Brown Williams; his first wife, Jeanette Palmer
Brown; a brother, Walter E. Brown; and a son, Alex Jason Brown. His
nephew, Robert “R2” Tasby (parents, Phyllis and Robert Tasby, Sr.) passed
away only thirteen (13) days before Jerry’s demise.
He leaves to cherish his memory, three (3) sons: Anthony “Tony” Brown
(Richmond, CA), Andre (Tammie) Brown (Harvest, AL), and Jerry Dwight
(Calinda) Brown (of Dover, DE); four (4) sisters: Gloria “Glo” Brown
Johnson (KCK), Marjorie “Margie” Brown (Willie) Miller and Phyllis “Phee
Phee” Brown (Robert) Tasby (both of Overland Park, KS), and Delores
“DeDe” Brown-Johnson (Surprise, AZ), a widowed sister-in-law, Lillie Brown (Walter) of KCK; one brother, Ronald “Ronnie” Brown;
grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.
on Monday, April 28th — his interment conducted by a Naval Honor Guard at the Leavenworth National
Cemetery (Leavenworth, KS).