Gene Edward Brownlee Jr.

Gene Edward Brownlee, Jr. was born on October 30, 1967 in Fort Wayne, Indiana and departed this life on August 11, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana.

Gene Jr., as he was affectionately called by family, was the eldest child of four who loved his siblings dearly and always took great pride in staking his claim as the oldest child and firstborn son.

Gene Jr. was baptized as a child at Christ Temple Church and received the Holy Ghost as a teen at First Apostolic Church. In his adult life, he attended Jesus Lives Apostolic Church, Emmanuel Apostolic Church, and most recently, Come As You Are Community Church. Gene Jr., like his father, was an avid Bible reader and even at his lowest points in life, maintained a God-consciousness and repentant heart.

Gene Jr. graduated from Northrop High School in 1986, where he was a standout athlete, letterman, and Captain of the All-SAC Champion Cross Country Team. He attended Indiana University Bloomington and later, enlisted in the United States Marines. Upon discharge from the military, Gene Jr. worked various jobs within the service and labor industries. His last employer was Michelin Tire, New Haven, IN.

Gene Jr. was blessed to be the father of one child, Shawnika Jones. The birth of his daughter was one of his greatest accomplishments in life, as children are an inheritance from the Lord, a gift entrusted to man by God.

In life, Gene Jr. marched to the beat of his own drum. He enjoyed watching and playing sports, listening to gospel music, cooking, cleaning, and spending time with his family.

Gene Jr. was preceded in death by his father, Gene Edward Brownlee, Sr.; his maternal and paternal grandparents, David and Ernestine Green, Wilburn and Almeda Brownlee; his uncles, Robert Whitehead, AQ Brownlee, Nathaniel Wilson, Wilbert Brownlee, Conrad Smith, David Green, Johnny Green, Clarence Green, Henry Wilson, and Albert Smith; and aunts, Ernestine Smith and Dorothy Wilson.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Dorothy Brownlee Morse of Indianapolis, IN; a daughter, Shawnika Jones and two grandchildren, Kendall and Eliyah Jones of Fort Wayne, IN; siblings, Corey (Charine) Brownlee and Gina (Jamal) Brooks of Fort Wayne, IN and Albert (Tamarah) Brownlee of Noblesville, IN; aunts, Jenetta (Clarence) Knox, Catherine Wilson, Claudine Brownlee, Everleina (Lawrence) Wattley, Gloria Smith, Wanda Whitehead, Ann Green, Mary Bright, Queen Green, Happy Green, Betty (Willie) Gilbert, Ida (Harvey) Gibson, and Chandra Boone; uncles, Donald Green, Sandy Green, and Ernest Green; special cousins, Vickie Logan, Patricia Green-Simpson, and Darren Brownlee; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends.