James David “J.D.” Brown died Friday, March 20, 2015 at 82 years of age after a long battle with heart disease. He was born April 21, 1932 to Van Brown and Elizabeth Wheeler Brown. He had two older half-sisters, Mertie and Pearl. He lost a younger brother, Robert Elwood Brown, to croup when the child was about 2 years old. After the death of his father in 1940, J.D. was raised by his beloved uncle and aunt, Bert and Pearl Brown. He considered their children(his cousins) as brothers and sisters – Edward Jackson Brown, George Brown, Marylena Brown, Richard Brown, Pearline Brown, Alice Brown and Bobby Brown. J.D. worked as a bulldozer operator for 15 years before he began his career as a postman. He retired from the post office in 1994 after 30 years of service. He was a founding member of Harris Creek Missionary Baptist Church.
His first wife, Effie Merritt Brown, died in May of 2006 after 53 years of marriage. He was also preceded in death by his sons, David Curtis Brown and James Van Brown.
He is survived by his current wife Vera Futrell Brown and his six other children; Lora Brown Pierce, Alea Brown Coley Barbee, Jacqueline Brown Bailey, Aaron Keith Brown, Andrew Quincey Brown, and Stephen Levi Brown. He leaves behind 20 grandchildren; Matthew Lyle Crim, Cyrus Thompson Pierce, Lori Pierce Joseph, David Swinson, William Coley, Anthony Woodall, Kenneth Woodall, Ashley Bailey, Rachel Brown, Jennifer Brown, Zachary Brown, Natasha Brown, Kiersten Brown, Shelby Brown, Jayleigh Brown, Genevia Brown Parnham, Jeremiah Brown , Benjamin Brown, Anthony Brown, Anastasia Hummel Troy, 11 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild.
Friends may visit the family at anytime at the residence. A funeral service for J.D. will be held at the Harris Creek Missionary Baptist Church on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 PM with Pastor Drew Parker officiating. Burial will follow the service at the Shepherd Family Cemetery
Arrangements by Johnson Funeral Home of Jacksonville.
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