Rev. John H. Brown's Obituary
The Rev. John H. Brown, age 82, passed away Saturday, February 15, 2020, after a brief illness. He was born February 28, 1937 in Old Hickory (Nashville), TN to Odell T. and Julia F. (Howard) Brown. He then went on to graduate from Allgood High School in 1955, Belmont College in 1964 and Southern Baptist Seminary, in 1967. John was never one to shy away from hard work. While attending Belmont and Seminary, he worked a fulltime job, helped care for his children at home, with his wife, Betty; and still managed to graduate Valedictorian of his seminary class.
He had started the Washington Avenue Baptist Church in Cookeville, Tennessee in the early 1960’s; and was the pastor at the First Baptist Church in Ellettsville, Indiana in the late 1960’s. He was also the mental health director at Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington, Indiana in the early 1970’s.
In 1975, Rev. Brown moved to Muskegon and served as pastor of First Baptist Church for 33 years. It’s been said, “John’s congregation was not just the church, but the community in which he lived.” He was instrumental in starting the church’s award-winning TV Ministry, which has served the community since 1977. It was Ecumenical in Spirit and he has remained active in it, especially enjoying the series, “Out to Pastors”, with Jerry Hagans, Alan Alpert and Elsa Pressentin. John was deeply appreciative of all the assistance, from the beginning of the church ministry, of his long-time friend and church secretary, Donna Scott.
John was deeply involved in hosting a group of Muskegon County educators at church, to press the issue of how to have a “Graduation Generation.” First Baptist hosted programs for the National organization for the advancement of the black community; and allowed the Islamic community to have a dinner at First Baptist, again being Ecumenical. He has been to Nicaragua seven or more times starting different programs and clinics. One of them being a safe water drinking system for a river area of Nicaragua. On one of these educational trips he included several of the teens from the church. He was always forward thinking and early on, even had the nerve to let women be at the Lectern on Sunday morning reading scripture. In John’s humility, he was often heard saying, “It’s not about me, but it’s the right thing to do.” He was not above doing the seemingly ridiculous. At one point the pipe organ at First Baptist needed refurbishing, so he rode his bicycle from Muskegon to Indianapolis to raise money for the project. John also saw the church through his shepherding in building its Family Center from the end of the 1990’s through its completion, in 2000. He currently attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which he immensely enjoyed.
On May 7, 1955 he married the former Betty J. Duke, and she survives him along with his children, Sonja (Nels Gunderson) Brown of Madison, IN, Julia (Mark) Conlin of Bloomington, IN, John H. Brown, Jr. and Jennifer (Jeff) Costin of Indianapolis, IN; 7 grandchildren, Sara (Jeff Kotmehl) Renneisen, Jaclyn (Page) Cotton, Elizabeth (Courtney) Curson, Wade Costin, Chase Costin, Parker Brown and Logan Brown; 2 great grandchildren, Connor and Sydney Cotton and 1 brother, Jim (Judy) Brown of Allgood, TN.
A CELEBRATON OF LIFE for John will be held 6:00PM Friday, February 28, 2020 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1006 Third St., Muskegon, MI 49440. VISITATION with John’s family will be 5-7:00 PM Thursday, February 27, 2020 at the Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444. For a more lasting memorial, you are asked to consider First Baptist Church of Muskegon or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. You are also invited to sign the family’s Online Guest Book at www.sytsemafh.com
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