Jerry Lee Brown, born on November 23, 1958, passed away on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Branch.
He was lovingly cared for by his niece and caregiver, Tina Collet, who remained by his side until his passing. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Jerry was raised from infancy in Walla Walla, Washington, by his parents, Hershel and Rosetta Brown. Jerry was a masterful storyteller. If he were here, he would recount his childhood with glimmering memories of summer camp, blueberry picking, and summer nights with his childhood dog, Lucy.
His young adulthood was enriched by the presence of his loving nieces, Tina and Kim. He measured the passing of time not by the years, but by each scrap and bruise Tina and Kim may have collected along the way as they ran and rode bikes together, trying to keep up with their Uncle Jerry. Jerry was the youngest of three children. His sister, Linda, and his brother, Roger, whom he remained apologetic to well into his adulthood for crashing and denting his car as a teenager. “Thankfully, Vicki and Roger were always so cool, ” Jerry would reassure his daughter every time he retold the story. Jerry’s love can best be described as a long-awaited homecoming. Among his many talents was his ability to make anyone feel at ease and at home. On his best days, he was an endless source of warmth and stability. Throughout his life, Jerry took on a range of jobs, but his favorite, according to him, was being a father.
His two children, Austin and Jana, maintained a fierce and lifelong battle of “rock, paper, scissors” to determine who had the privilege of sitting next to their dad at the dinner table that night. Jerry found joy in Aikido (he was a black belt), music, running, and reading. Hobbies that he has passed on to his daughter, Jana, who faithfully listens to The Carpenters in his honor every morning. To his son, Austin, he leaves a mirror, as he is the spitting image of our beloved Jerry.
Jerry is survived by his nieces, Tina and Kim; his brother, Roger; his wife, Mandy; and his children, Austin and Jana.
We ask that you remember Jerry not for how he left this world, but for the love that perseveres within the lives he touched.
Arrangements were entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.OakGroveLudington.com.
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