Jerrell Dwayne Brown

Jerrell D. Brown, 85, of Southlake, Texas, passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2026, in Fort Worth. A visitation and funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church in Keller, Texas, on Thursday, February 19, 2026, followed by burial Monday, February 23, 2026 at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park in Colleyville.

Jerrell was born in Southlake, Texas, on July 19, 1940, to Lloyd and Doris Brown. He was raised in Southlake, attended Carroll Schools through 8th grade, and then attended Grapevine High School, graduating in 1959.

Growing up in Southlake in the 1940s was very different from life today. He told many stories of hoeing peanuts and feeding the hogs, as the family raised both. He grew up on the same property as his grandparents and lived with his grandmother after his grandpa passed away in 1946. Throughout his childhood, many different family members lived with his mom and dad, so even though he didn’t have any siblings, his parents helped others. He often told the story of his cousin throwing a coffee can full of water on him. When he jumped to miss the water, he landed on the can, cutting half-moon shapes in his heels. When he was 14, his father owned Brown’s Gulf Service Station, which also had the Knotty Pine Café, which his mother operated in Grapevine. He would drive himself to town to work. He learned to fix flats, change oil, wash windshields, and pump gas very quickly.

After graduating from high school, he continued working and, in 1961, married the love of his life, Charlotte Tate. They had two children: Darrell Brown and Kim Brown Duke. Jerrell worked at Texas Fina Thiazine, General Motors, Stacy Furniture, and Whirlpool. He drove a truck for over 27 years. While working the second shift at General Motors, he began volunteering with the Southlake Fire Department because he was one of the few men on the department available during the daytime hours. He served with the department for 13 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief.

Jerrell enjoyed church and was a member of the Pleasant Hill Advent Christian Church for many years. Most recently, he was a member of Keller First Baptist Church, where he served as a greeter at the north door.

In retirement, he enjoyed traveling with large tour groups because he never met a stranger and preferred riding and taking in the scenery to driving. Jerrell especially loved Maui, Hawaii, and made several trips to the island with all five of his granddaughters.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Charlotte Brown; his children, Darrell Brown (wife Lisa) and Kim Duke; six grandchildren: Makenzie Perales (husband Alexander), Mallory Denis (husband Andre), Meagan Wright (husband Tyler), Madeline Wade (husband Griffin), Kaitlyn Gottlob, and Justin Gottlob; and two (almost three) great-grandchildren, Elijah and Emilia Perales, with Baby Wright due in May.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes in honor of his great-grandson, Elijah Perales.