Gerald Brown

Gerald (Jerry) Brown, son of Harry Alfred Brown and Jennie Francis (Baker) Brown was born Dec. 17, 1933, in Atchison, Kansas. He departed this life at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola July 19, 2021, at 87 years of age.

He was baptized in 1943 at the Christian Church in Atchison, Kansas.

Jerry graduated from Atchison Public School in 1951. He attended St. Benedict’s College in Atchison for two years before being drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1954, where he was stationed in Korea for 15 months. Upon his return from the military, he returned to St. Benedict’s to continue his education. He later transferred to Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, and in 1958, received his Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education, majoring in physical education with a minor in history and social studies. He received his Master’s degree in secondary administration in 1964.

Jerry was married to Alice Joan Johnson June 4, 1960, in Miami, Oklahoma. To this union one son was born, Jay Benedict Brown.

Jerry began his career in Ridgeway, Missouri, as high school principal, history teacher and boys’ basketball coach. His career took him to Gallatin, Richmond and Nodaway-Holt, Missouri schools before moving to Murray in 1968, where he remained for the rest of his career.

Jerry received numerous awards during his teaching and coaching career. In 1977 he was voted Southwest Iowa Coach of the Year in Class 1A. He received the same award a second time in 1980. December 1994 brought his 500th career win and in 1996 he became the winningest active high school boys’ basketball coach in the state of Iowa with 535 wins.

In 1997, Jerry was honored at the state tournament in Des Moines for his years as a school administrator. He retired at Murray CDS high school principal in 1997, but continued to coach until retiring in 2001 with over 600 career wins. Upon his retirement from coaching, he was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame. In January 2006, the Murray High School gym was named the Jerry Brown Gymnasium to honor his 33 years of coaching at Murray.

Jerry’s hobbies included summer umpiring for boys’ baseball and girls’ softball, playing poker with his poker buddies, and traveling. After his retirement Jerry and his wife Alice, enjoyed traveling to Europe and the Caribbean. Their favorite vacation was their annual September trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Jerry was a member of the Murray Church of Christ.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father and mother.

He is survived by wife Alice of Murray; son Jay of Colorado; brother Don Brown of Atchison, Kansas; sister Kathy Davis of St. Louis, Missouri; brother Steve Brown of Atchison, Kansas; several nieces and nephews.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola, with Pastor Marty Burgus officiating.

A livestream of the service will be available at www.kalefuneralhome.com on Gerald’s tribute wall beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Interment will be in the Murray Cemetery

Memorial contributions may be directed to Murray Community School Foundation or Murray First Responders or Veterans Casting Away Disabilities.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.kalefuneralhome.com.