Amarillo—Deacon Jim Brown, who was a member of the Permanent Diaconate Class of 2000, passed away Aug. 20. He was 83 years old.
Mass was celebrated Sept. 3, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Father John Valdez, pastor, presiding. Burial will be in Hansford County Cemetery, Spearman.
Jimmy Don Brown was born on Oct. 14, 1938 in Coal Hill, Ark., the son of John LeRoy Sr. and Irene Haney Brown. Brown was a twin to his sister, Jerry Sue Brown. He met and married his wife of 56 years, Rosemary Wayne Brown in Tucson.
After graduating from high school, Brown enlisted in the Air Force, where he was a B-52 jet engine mechanic. He served with the 92nd Bombing, 325th Squadron in Spokane from December 1956 to December 1960. Brown then relocated his family to El Paso, where he worked with Boeing until February 1961.
Brown moved his family to Tucson and attended the Arizona Department of Public Safety Academy in Phoenix and became a Patrol Officer. In 1971, he moved his family to Spearman and farmed there until 1986, when he became a Deputy Sheriff for Hansford County, serving for five years. In 1991, Brown ran for Hansford County judge and served in that position for 12 years until December 2003, when he retired to care for his wife. Brown and his family moved to Amarillo to be closer to her doctors.
On Dec. 30, 2000, Brown was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Amarillo by then-Bishop John W. Yanta at St. Laurence Cathedral (now St. Laurence Church, Amarillo). He served at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Spearman; St. Martin de Porres Church and St. Hyacinth Church, both in Amarillo.
Upon his retirement from active ministry on Aug. 25, 2008, Deacon Brown began serving at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Amarillo and as executive director for a short period at Catholic Family Services (now Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle), Amarillo.
According to his family, Deacon Brown devoted his life to the service of others through his public servant roles and as a deacon. He never met a stranger and would invite you into his home. Later in life, Deacon Brown became an avid chef, barbecuer and a woodworker.
Deacon Brown was preceded in death by his wife, Rosemary Brown; his parents, John Leroy Sr. and Irene Brown; two brothers, Teddy Wayne and John Leroy Jr.; and a sister Ada Bunch.
Survivors include four sons, Aaron Brown and his wife Beth of Colorado Springs, Eric Brown and his wife Terri of Guymon, Okla., Kenneth Brown and his wife Lisa of Boys Ranch and Kory Brown and his wife Michelle of Amarillo; a daughter, Qynn and her husband Jerry of Lubbock; his twin sister, Jerry “Sue” White of Amarillo; 15 grandchildren, April, Brad, Jared, Brandi, Tanner, Matthew, John, Seth, Dalton, Sterling, Swasey, Kiersan, Shelbie, Anthony and Kylee; and 22 great grandchildren, Bryce, Lachlan, Kinsley, Emily, Brady, Isabel, Braxton, Bradi, Clayton, Colton, Warren, Asa, Sadie, Quentin, Ariah, Grason, Preslee, Liam, Ryann, Zaylee, Madelyne and Bellamae.