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May 24, 1952 – Dec. 18, 2014

NATCHEZ — Services for Boyd Brown Jr., 62, formerly of Bellevue, Wash., who died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, in hospice care at 5:19 p.m., will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Robert D. Mackel and Sons Funeral Home.

Memorial services for Mr. Brown will be scheduled at a later date in Seattle.

A caring man, a man with a big heart, a man with a sense of humor — that’s how many knew former pro-football player Boyd Brown Jr.

Mr. Boyd was born May 24, 1952, in Crosby, the son of Boyd Brown Sr. and Julia Ellen Hughes-Brown. He was a handsome and healthy baby boy, weighing 13 pounds, as he was surrounded by love and the security of a happy home. In fact, the home where he was born, lived and grew up in was built with the hands of his very ambitious father.

At an early age, he was baptized at Union Baptist Church in Crosby. He later joined Grace United Methodist Church in Seattle where he remained a faithful member.

Boyd was a native of Crosby who dreamed of one day making it big. He graduated from Wilkinson County Training School in Woodville and Alcorn State University in Lorman. He was a 17th round draft pick, three years with the Denver Broncos and one year with the New York Giants as a back-up tight-end.

Boyd loved all sports. He was especially enamored with the language and techniques of football and basketball.

He began his sports career as a standout player for the Wilkinson County Training School Wildcats where they won the state championship in basketball. He made the winning shot and did not see the shot as the ball bounced around the rim of the hoop. He fell to the ground sobbing because he thought he had missed the shot. As the fans cheered, the ball dropped through the hoop winning the championship game.

At Alcorn State, he was the captain of his team and was voted the best athlete in the southwest regional district as the most valuable player in football.

Boyd was recognized by Alcorn and inducted into the Alcorn State University Sports Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the National Football League Alumni Association.

After leaving the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants, he had hopes that by moving to Seattle, he could land a position with the Seahawks. However, that did not come to fruition so he decided to remain in Seattle where he landed his second career as a project manager and machinist at the Boeing Aerospace Company. Boyd received a number of valued service awards for being an integral part of building Boeing’s future as a global enterprise.

Boyd had an unending sense of humor, especially the stories he would tell about growing up in Crosby as a child and being the second born. He was well liked by everyone he met. Those who knew him said he would go out of his way to help anyone in need. Boyd loved life. He loved his family and his family loved him.

Boyd loved animals too, especially the family dog, Cosmo. His friend Beak said, “his dog, Copper, absolutely loved her Boyd, too. All I had to do was mention ‘Boyd’ and she’d turn circles, whine and run from the front to back doors looking for him. She wasn’t like that with anyone else. She loved her family — but she really loved her Boyd.”

Boyd’s friends said his success always had been shared with his wife of 38 years, Sheri Perry-Brown.

His college friends decided to introduce him to Sheri only to find out that her mother was his social studies teacher in high school, Mrs. Eugenia Perry. A match made in heaven, his soulmate. The couple was united in holy matrimony and to his union two wonderful children were born.

“Sheri is a lovely person,” Boyd’s friends would say. He stood by him through good times and lean times and was always supportive. She cared for him until the end, standing by his side, she rubbed his arm and said, “I love you.” He whispered softly back to her, “I love you, too.” “We must thank her for the home life that she was able to give him that allowed him to spend 35 years enjoying life and working to support his family. Even though the spirit left his body, he went home to be with the Lord. He will be missed by all of us.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Rudolph Brown.

Boyd leaves a legacy of love and memories to his devoted wife, Sheri Perry-Brown of Washington; one son, Boyd Brown III of Georgia; one daughter, Holly Brown of Washington; two loving grandsons, Boyd Brown IV and Blake Brown, both of Georgia; two sisters, Mary Griffin and husband, James, of Crosby and Dorothy Elaine Brown of Louisiana; two brothers, Charles Brown and wife, Alesia, of Trenton and Christopher Brown of Vicksburg; three cousins, Jackie Hughes-Montgomery, Ph.D., and husband, Robert, of Jackson, Charles E. Hughes of California and Ladon Williams of Washington, D.C.; and a very large family of nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be sent in Boyd’s memory to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave., North, Seattle, WA 98109.