Cleotis Brown

Cleotis "Jim" Brown

April 16, 1944 – May 7, 2026

Cleotis "Jim" Brown, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2026, at the age of 82 in Grapevine, Texas after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on April 16, 1944, in Bessemer, Alabama, Jim was the oldest of three children born to Robert Rance Brown and Henrietta Hutton.

After graduating high school, Jim attended and graduated from Tuskegee University in Alabama. Most of his career was spent in executive recruiting, most recently working for Babich and Associates in Dallas.

In his younger days, Jim was an avid tennis player and roller skater. Later in life, he developed a deep love for golf and could often be found on the green most weekends. He was also an ardent photographer, capturing thousands of images over the years of his family, places they visited, and anything that caught his eye. He shared this love of photography with his son, Rance.

One of Jim’s favorite places was Montego Bay, Jamaica, the home country of his wife, Daphne. He cherished spending time in Jamaica with Daphne, their children, and grandchildren.

A passionate lover of music, Jim amassed a vast collection of thousands of songs, taking great pride in having whatever music his grandchildren loved available when they visited.

Jim is survived by his wife of 41 years, Daphne Brown; his children Caroline Jackson, Annette Charles, and John Wallace; sons-in-law David Jackson and Conroy Charles; daughters-in-law Jennifer Wallace and Mon Thai; grandchildren Patricia Kumm, Christopher Johnson, Sydney Jackson, Evan Charles, Camryn Wallace, Andrew Wallace; and great-grandson Mason Kumm.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Curtis and Israel; and son, Rance Brown.

A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at Lucas Funeral Home, 1601 Main Street, Keller, Texas 76248, on Saturday, May 16, at 11 a.m., with visitation beginning at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family has established a Go Fund Me that will benefit students at the Flankers Primary and Junior High School in Flankers, Jamaica. Jim and Daphne are benefactors of the school. https://gofund.me/c1465f8ae