Gerald "Jerry" Brown

Gerald "Jerry" Brown lived a life marked by curiosity, service, adventure, and a lifelong love of the outdoors. He passed away June 29, 2026.

Jerry was born on July 8, 1938, to Hazen and Luverne Brown in St. Paul, Minnesota. He grew up in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood with his younger sisters, Joanne and Shirley. His childhood provided no shortage of adventures, including a serious cut on his wrist after falling into a dump-filled foxhole and another memorable incident when he caught his pants on fire while watching a field burn, leaving a scar he carried throughout his life.

In his younger years, Jerry worked alongside his father painting houses and developed an interest in music, singing in his high school choir and playing the steel guitar. He graduated from Johnson High School in 1956 and, at just 17 years old, enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Serving as a radio technician, Jerry spent four years in Germany supporting communications for the Air Force's early guided missile program. He enjoyed telling stories from those years, especially touring Europe on his motorcycle and accidentally showering a fellow serviceman with mud and manure from its knobby tires—a story that never failed to make him laugh.

After his honorable discharge in 1960, Jerry earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science in electronics from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago. He worked on the Minuteman II missile program before returning to Minnesota, where he built a long career in electronics and computer technology with Control Data, Sperry-Univac (later Unisys), and Medtronic, retiring in 1999.

Jerry also dedicated many hours to public service outside of his career. After completing Emergency Medical Technician training, he volunteered with local ambulance services, served as a first responder with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department, and later as a reserve officer with the Brooklyn Park Police Department.

Throughout his life, Jerry found his greatest enjoyment outdoors. He loved hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. Friends knew him as a careful hunter, a skilled outdoorsman, and someone who appreciated the quiet beauty of nature.

Following retirement, Jerry embraced the opportunity to travel. He explored North America in his motorhome with his longtime companion, Laura Efterfield, and settled in Red Wing. Together they traveled to Costa Rica, Nova Scotia, and numerous national parks, sharing a love of hiking and the outdoors.

In his later years, a series of strokes gradually limited the active lifestyle he enjoyed, eventually leading him to move with Laura to Stillwater.

Jerry is survived by his children, Laura, Renae, and Arlan; his sister, Joanne; his longtime companion, Laura Efterfield; and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hazen and Luverne Brown, and his sister, Shirley.

Jerry will be remembered for his quiet nature, technical mind, and enduring appreciation for the outdoors. Those who knew him will remember a man who enjoyed life's simple pleasures and never lost his sense of curiosity about the world around him.

A Funeral Service honoring Jerry's life will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, July 16 at MUELLER MEMORIAL 4738 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake with visitation beginning one hour prior. Reception and burial to follow.