James Zee Brown

James Zee Brown (Jim/Pops) passed away on August 27, 2023, peacefully from complications of congestive heart failure with family by his bedside at Saint Anthony’s Hospital, Oklahoma City, OK.

Jim was born on April 19, 1946, the eighth child to Lydia Delphia Ruth and John Allen Brown in Lone Jack, MO. Jim leaves behind his Love-Sherry “Sher-Bear” Lee of many years; as well as his children, Mike and Juanita Brown, Hurst, TX; Mark and Hillary Brown, Duncan, OK; Christie and Steve Durnan, La Grange, NC. Pops had nine grandchildren, Jessica Wubbenhorst, Cody Brown, Cade and Kelsie Brown, Jamie and James Arevalo, Ryan Durnan, Jordan Stidham, Andrew Brown, Madi and Dylan Mettler, and Caden Bowles. He had the privilege of having eight precious great-grandchildren, Pops loved spending time with his grandchildren and his face would light up whenever they were around (all shared with his former spouse Marilyn Joanna Brown married August 26, 1966, in OKC, OK).  

Jim’s family moved to Calumet, OK when he was three years old on the Brown family-owned quarter section of land. He and his family survived on the farm where he spent many hours operating a plow tractor and “picking” cotton. Jim was a graduate of the class of 1964, Calumet High School.  After high school, Jim served in the U. S. National Guard for 13 years in El Reno, OK. During his guard service, he was employed by Bell Telephone Service in Oklahoma City, OK.

After 41 years of service in the telephone industry he retired from Pioneer Telephone as local manager in Comanche, OK. Jim gave his life to Jesus, his Lord and Savior in 1980 at Patterson Avenue Baptist Church in Comanche, OK. He served as a deacon at Patterson under the late Reverend Bob Waitman, who was his precious friend and mentor.

Jim (slim Jim) was a large contributor building Patterson’s Falls Creek Baptist Assembly youth cabin, Davis, OK, where countless youth have and continue to come to know Christ.  Slim Jim was a counselor for many years during summer camps at Falls Creek. He spent many sleepless nights at camp attempting to deter onery campers from playing jokes on the well-behaved sleeping campers. He was successful; however, due to exhaustion from long days he would succumb to painted toenails from time to time; all the campers loved him.

As a hobby earning extra income, Jim repaired small engine equipment for community members for several years in Comanche, Meridian, and Oklahoma City, OK. Many times, he refused to charge a fee because that was the man he was; he genuinely cared about helping others. Jim acquired his airplane pilot license in 1995 in Duncan, OK and loved flying through the blue sky.

In lieu of condolences, flowers, or donations, in honor of Jim, hug your family and love everyone you know. He will be missed…

Selected services entrusted to Turner Funeral Home, Hinton, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.