Jay Brown
Jay Scott Brown, 69, passed away unexpectedly on January 29, 2022 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He was the loving husband of Barbara Brown and they enjoyed 42 years of marriage together. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Jay was the son of Henry and Rebecca Brown. He attended James Madison High School and Brooklyn College, where he earned a B.S. in Psychology in 1974. After college, his work with Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) brought him to Oklahoma. He later earned an M.A. in Human Relations at the University of Oklahoma in 1976. He worked as a child development specialist for Pottawatomie County, then began a career in real estate. He founded his own businesses in residential and commercial real estate, owned and managed apartment complexes, served as a mortgage broker, and became a car wash owner.
For six years he served as the Board President for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy and was the Chairman of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth. He was also a board member of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum. Jay was a member of the Temple B'nai Israel congregation in Oklahoma City where he was active with the Social Action committee, supported youth education and was involved with the brotherhood.
Family was always Jay’s first focus. He was dedicated to his role of father and grandfather - he coached his children in youth soccer and supported them in all their pursuits. He also enjoyed swimming, kayaking, spending time in the garden, reading and sharing his love of stoop ball with everyone he met. He was passionate about life’s pleasures, especially enjoying the company of friends and family with good food and drink.
Jay is preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Phillip and Jerome. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; their children: Gabriel (Pamela), Allison (Michael) Goatley, and Andrew; and their five cherished grandchildren: Henry, Margaret, and Caroline Brown and Bruce and Solomon Goatley.
A memorial service will be held at Walker Funeral Home, 201 East 45th Street in Shawnee on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 10:00 am, by Rabbi Vered L. Harris. Flowers are not part of the Jewish funeral tradition; rather, donations are made to organizations important to the deceased and their family. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to causes that Jay loved: the Legacy Parenting Center (www. legacyshawnee.com), Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (https:// oica.org/), and the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum (http://www.jasminemoran.com). Thank you for your generosity.