James Lee Brown Jr.

James (Joe) Lee Brown, Jr., born on February 22, 1933, in Colfax, LA, was the third of twelve (12) children born to James Lee Brown, Sr., and Mauphene Tademy Brown. Joe was educated in the Grant Parish School System and attended Raven Camp High School. He confessed Christ and was baptized at an early age by Pastor Howard Ellis of the Prospect Baptist Church in Colfax, LA.

One of Joe’s early jobs was serving as a chef at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, LA. Later, Joe, along with his brothers, Mickey, and Clayton, operated a restaurant in Shreveport, LA called Brown’s Restaurant. It is in Shreveport where he met and married Carrie Washington on November 22, 1957. To this union, four (4) children were born: Frank, Cynthia, Jacqueline, and Veronica.

When Joe and his family moved to Dallas, he was a chef at Wyatt’s Cafeteria and later at Southern Methodist University. He retired from the University of Dallas in Irving, TX. During his years in Dallas, Joe was active in the West Dallas Community.

Joe united with the Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Founding Pastor Dr. Karry Don Wesley the day that his son in love, Rod Jones, preached his first sermon. During the early stages of his membership at Antioch, he participated in serving food to the homeless.

Due to illness, Joe moved to Robinson, TX in 2006. Joe departed this life on Friday, October 22, 2021, in Robinson, TX. He was preceded in death by his wife Carrie who died in June 2001, his parents James and Mauphene Brown, and eight (8) siblings: Ezra (called Bo), Edna (called Sister), Edwin (called Mickey), Uriel (called Bowie), Rosie, Willie, John, and a baby sister (name unknown).

Mourning Joe’s life are his four children: Frank (Ann) Brown of Robinson, TX, Cynthia Brown and Jacqueline Brown, both of Dallas, TX, and Veronica Jones (Reverend Dr. Rod) of Nacogdoches, TX; one brother: Clayton Brown (Patty) of Dallas, TX; two sisters: Dorothy Merrells and Barbara Brown, both of Dallas, TX; one uncle: Willie Smith or “Sonny” of Chicago, IL; seven (7) grandchildren, five (5) great grandchildren, one (1) great-great grandchild, and a host of nephews, nieces, and other relatives.