Jeffrey Brown

1960 - 2025

Jeffrey Charles Brown - "Coach Jeff" to many - died peacefully on October 16, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was 65 years old, although he'd be the first to tell you his mileage was much higher.
Born in San Antonio on September 19, 1960, to Wayne Bryan Brown and Ernestine Hancock Brown, Jeff was a joyful surprise late in their lives. His sister, Cheryl, who was 16 at the time, proudly chose his name. As a child, Jeff spent many evenings with his Aunt Nan and Uncle Freddie (Benke), often perched on the counter at their grocery store, learning to read. His love for words stayed with him throughout his life - he completed the daily newspaper crossword in ink right up until the end.
Jeff met his bride (as he always called her), Leslie Dawson, on a summer trip to the beach in 1978. He was at the University of Texas, and she was still in high school, leading to many long-distance phone calls. They finally had their first date that October - and the very next day, Jeff was in a serious boating accident that left him hospitalized for 65 days. Leslie became his most devoted visitor. Though they went their separate ways for college, fate brought them back together in 1982, and they married in 1984. His only condition, he joked, was that they live in Austin - which they did.
Together, Jeff and Leslie built a successful real estate business, raised three wonderful children - Haley, Ginny, and JJ - and were blessed with ten "perfect" grandchildren: Claire, Adaline, Beau, Winn, Eve, Hank, Jeffrey, Eleanor, Cooper, and Birdie.
Jeff's greatest joy was giving back. He coached softball and golf, guided students in their housing decisions at UT, and found life lessons in economics worth sharing with anyone who would listen. As president of West 24th Street Properties, he loved his work - but his proudest accomplishment was watching his children grow into strong, self-reliant adults.
When the kids were young, Jeff could always be found at the softball or baseball fields; later, golf became the family's shared passion. The Browns spent countless days on driving ranges and putting greens together, turning every outing into a lesson in both golf and life.
In 1996, Jeff founded the "Dew Sweepers," a group that brought kids from all over Texas to area golf courses to compete and learn from local pros. He became a PGA professional and continued coaching for decades, shaping the lives of young players with his signature humor, patience, and wisdom. During the 2000s, most weekends found the Browns traveling to tournaments across Texas and beyond. Jeff was especially proud that his family helped run the local AJGA golf tournament, giving young athletes opportunities to earn college scholarships.
After retiring in 2019, Jeff spent his mornings playing or practicing golf at area courses, and his afternoons at the south end of the Austin Country Club driving range - his favorite spot. One of his proudest moments came last year, when he took Leslie to the Stag & Finch Grille at Clay/Kizer to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary - and to order the newest item on the menu: a cheeseburger named in his honor, The Coach Brown.
Jeff is survived by his wife Leslie, children Haley (Paul Cason), Ginny ( David Holmes), JJ ( Lauren Reynolds Brown),and 10 grandchildren. Also, his sister Cheryl Williams, nephews Blake ( Laura Williams) and Patrick and sister in law Susan Dawson ( Ken Mannas) and their children Clark (Caraline) and Adriene (Sarah). He is predeceased by his parents, brother Wayne Brown Jr and brother in law Warren Williams.
A Celebration of Life will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin on Friday, November 21st at 1:00 p.m. Bright colored polos or dress encouraged, just as Jeff would.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Junior Golf Association (ajga.org) or the American Cancer Society.