Mr. Jerry Leon Brown of Roanoke, Virginia made his journey to be with The Lord on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at the age of 74.

Jerry was born to Bill and Willma Brown in 1948. Jerry was a Stonemason throughout his career and ran his own small business out of Roanoke, Virginia where much of his work can be seen all across the Valley and will likely remain for many generations beyond his own. He married his wife Catherine of nearly 56 years in 1966 and started a family that he cherished for over five decades. Together they raised three sons, William David Brown of Eden, Utah, Stephen Todd Brown of Roanoke, and Jeffrey Glenn Brown of Boones Mill.

Jerry was a Master Craftsman and could create anything his mind could imagine out of most any material available. Though his living was made from stone, he was known to spend countless hours in his garage and under the shade tree creating anything from woodenware for beekeeping to building numerous large and small engines including an old slightly hopped-up FE block 390 Ford. He also created many necessary items to better his everyday life such as a custom heating system for his home utilizing the heat of a super-efficient exhaust gas recirculating, thermostatically controlled, wood stove that he designed and handcrafted himself. He tied the custom wood stove into his forced air HVAC system through an impressive handmade sheet metal collection system that captured nearly all of the energy produced by the stove which provided a super-efficient method to heat their home. He also fabricated a custom, fully-adjustable portable sawmill that utilized a track and cage system for milling custom lumber in a backyard setting or out in the field. In addition to his craftsmanship, he was an avid outdoorsman and mentored all three of his sons and many of their friends in the ways of the wilderness. Additionally, in the mid to latter part of his life, he developed quite an interest in geology and was quite an accomplished self-taught, gold prospector. He had a deep personal relationship with Christ and his Bible, and his faith never waivered throughout his life. He and Catherine shared their faith with all three of their sons who have all followed the footsteps of the foundation of faith laid before them by both parents and many other family members.

Jerry was proceeded in death by both of his parents William Duffa Brown and Wilma Arline Banks. Jerry is survived by his siblings William Delane Brown of Goodview, Gene Eldon Brown of Salem, Danny Ray Brown of Tazewell, and sister Brenda Kay Simpson of Myrtle Beach. Jerry's father, Bill Brown, was an accomplished professional musician during much of the '30s and '40s and had a regular show on WDBJ radio sponsored by the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company where he played most any stringed instrument utilized by his band Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers with his primary instruments being the Resonator Guitar, Lap Steel, Steel Guitar, and standard acoustic guitar. Though Jerry followed a slightly different path musically, he could not escape the DNA of his musical father, and though he never actually played his own instrument, his love of music and music history was undeniable! During the latter years of his life, Jerry frequented local Bluegrass jams and attended a plethora of concerts from many of the greats in the genre of Bluegrass music. On many musical outings, he'd be accompanied by his brother Gene, his sons, and his daughter-in-law Stephanie.

A celebration of the life of Jerry will be held Saturday, September 24, 2022, at Coopers Cove Baptist Church located at 1929 Coopers Cove Road, Hardy, VA 24101 with The Reverend Kyle T. Dooley officiating. The celebration for friends and family will begin at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, Jerry and the Brown family would be honored for reserved floral finances to be utilized by directly helping friends or family in need.