Jerry Kent Brown, retired, and beloved, plant manager of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, entered eternal life, after a long illness, at the age of 68. Jerry began his career at Sacred Heart in 1957 as a dishwasher, a job he planned to keep for about six months. He was promoted to cook, baker, shipper, kitchen supervisor and then plant manager, the position from which he retired in early 2007 — seven rectors, four cardinals and six popes later.
Jerry was the first African American hired at the seminary, years before the civil rights movement. Later on, he and his entire family became Catholic at a moving service in the main chapel. He was named an honorary alumnus and won the Outstanding Lay Alumnus award in 1998.
Jerry was celebrated for his forty-nine years of service to the seminary at a retirement luncheon on October 9, 2007. His family, friends, the entire Sacred Heart community, colleagues and friends from the archdiocese, including Cardinal Adam Maida and Bishop John Quinn, came out to honor Jerry. Though he was weakened by illness, and in a wheelchair, Jerry was determined to make his party.
Word of Jerry's service reached beyond the seminary. Dale Foster, a representative from the Detroit City Council, presented him with a "Spirit of Detroit" award for his exceptional achievement, signed by all the council members. He also received a "Certificate of Tribute" from the State of Michigan, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, for his "exemplary career and life accomplishments." The presenter was Sacred Heart alumnus Charles Piotrowski, who helped in the soup kitchen Jerry started on campus in the early-1970s. "I learned more from Jerry than in all my classes," said Charles.
Sacred Heart presented Jerry with a framed illustration of the seminary and a "Piece of the Seminary" plaque embedded with a Pewabic tile uncovered in the main chapel during a recent renovation. The building administrator, John Duncan, who has worked with Jerry since 1992, said, "He mentored me through the years, and in a lot of cases, I was a student of his and still am."
Testifying to Jerry's love for Sacred Heart Seminary, public visitation of his body was held at the seminary as was his funeral Mass on January 7, 2008. Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, former vice rector of Sacred Heart, was the celebrant and homilist. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishops Earl Boyea, John Quinn and Francis Reiss, who were representing Cardinal Adam Maida, and all of Sacred Heart's resident priests. Friends and family members filled the chapel.
"Jerry Brown will be a part of the seminary as long as its walls stand."
From Sacred Heart Major Seminary website: http://www.aodonline.org/SHMS/Publications+5827/
Publications+Archives+10777/080111Brown.htm
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
Jerry was the first African American hired at the seminary, years before the civil rights movement. Later on, he and his entire family became Catholic at a moving service in the main chapel. He was named an honorary alumnus and won the Outstanding Lay Alumnus award in 1998.
Jerry was celebrated for his forty-nine years of service to the seminary at a retirement luncheon on October 9, 2007. His family, friends, the entire Sacred Heart community, colleagues and friends from the archdiocese, including Cardinal Adam Maida and Bishop John Quinn, came out to honor Jerry. Though he was weakened by illness, and in a wheelchair, Jerry was determined to make his party.
Word of Jerry's service reached beyond the seminary. Dale Foster, a representative from the Detroit City Council, presented him with a "Spirit of Detroit" award for his exceptional achievement, signed by all the council members. He also received a "Certificate of Tribute" from the State of Michigan, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, for his "exemplary career and life accomplishments." The presenter was Sacred Heart alumnus Charles Piotrowski, who helped in the soup kitchen Jerry started on campus in the early-1970s. "I learned more from Jerry than in all my classes," said Charles.
Sacred Heart presented Jerry with a framed illustration of the seminary and a "Piece of the Seminary" plaque embedded with a Pewabic tile uncovered in the main chapel during a recent renovation. The building administrator, John Duncan, who has worked with Jerry since 1992, said, "He mentored me through the years, and in a lot of cases, I was a student of his and still am."
Testifying to Jerry's love for Sacred Heart Seminary, public visitation of his body was held at the seminary as was his funeral Mass on January 7, 2008. Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, former vice rector of Sacred Heart, was the celebrant and homilist. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishops Earl Boyea, John Quinn and Francis Reiss, who were representing Cardinal Adam Maida, and all of Sacred Heart's resident priests. Friends and family members filled the chapel.
"Jerry Brown will be a part of the seminary as long as its walls stand."
From Sacred Heart Major Seminary website: http://www.aodonline.org/SHMS/Publications+5827/
Publications+Archives+10777/080111Brown.htm
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
Jerry Kent Brown, retired, and beloved, plant manager of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, entered eternal life, after a long illness, at the age of 68. Jerry began his career at Sacred Heart in 1957 as a dishwasher, a job he planned to keep for about six months. He was promoted to cook, baker, shipper, kitchen supervisor and then plant manager, the position from which he retired in early 2007 — seven rectors, four cardinals and six popes later.
Jerry was the first African American hired at the seminary, years before the civil rights movement. Later on, he and his entire family became Catholic at a moving service in the main chapel. He was named an honorary alumnus and won the Outstanding Lay Alumnus award in 1998.
Jerry was celebrated for his forty-nine years of service to the seminary at a retirement luncheon on October 9, 2007. His family, friends, the entire Sacred Heart community, colleagues and friends from the archdiocese, including Cardinal Adam Maida and Bishop John Quinn, came out to honor Jerry. Though he was weakened by illness, and in a wheelchair, Jerry was determined to make his party.
Word of Jerry's service reached beyond the seminary. Dale Foster, a representative from the Detroit City Council, presented him with a "Spirit of Detroit" award for his exceptional achievement, signed by all the council members. He also received a "Certificate of Tribute" from the State of Michigan, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, for his "exemplary career and life accomplishments." The presenter was Sacred Heart alumnus Charles Piotrowski, who helped in the soup kitchen Jerry started on campus in the early-1970s. "I learned more from Jerry than in all my classes," said Charles.
Sacred Heart presented Jerry with a framed illustration of the seminary and a "Piece of the Seminary" plaque embedded with a Pewabic tile uncovered in the main chapel during a recent renovation. The building administrator, John Duncan, who has worked with Jerry since 1992, said, "He mentored me through the years, and in a lot of cases, I was a student of his and still am."
Testifying to Jerry's love for Sacred Heart Seminary, public visitation of his body was held at the seminary as was his funeral Mass on January 7, 2008. Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, former vice rector of Sacred Heart, was the celebrant and homilist. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishops Earl Boyea, John Quinn and Francis Reiss, who were representing Cardinal Adam Maida, and all of Sacred Heart's resident priests. Friends and family members filled the chapel.
"Jerry Brown will be a part of the seminary as long as its walls stand."
From Sacred Heart Major Seminary website: http://www.aodonline.org/SHMS/Publications+5827/
Publications+Archives+10777/080111Brown.htm
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
Jerry was the first African American hired at the seminary, years before the civil rights movement. Later on, he and his entire family became Catholic at a moving service in the main chapel. He was named an honorary alumnus and won the Outstanding Lay Alumnus award in 1998.
Jerry was celebrated for his forty-nine years of service to the seminary at a retirement luncheon on October 9, 2007. His family, friends, the entire Sacred Heart community, colleagues and friends from the archdiocese, including Cardinal Adam Maida and Bishop John Quinn, came out to honor Jerry. Though he was weakened by illness, and in a wheelchair, Jerry was determined to make his party.
Word of Jerry's service reached beyond the seminary. Dale Foster, a representative from the Detroit City Council, presented him with a "Spirit of Detroit" award for his exceptional achievement, signed by all the council members. He also received a "Certificate of Tribute" from the State of Michigan, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, for his "exemplary career and life accomplishments." The presenter was Sacred Heart alumnus Charles Piotrowski, who helped in the soup kitchen Jerry started on campus in the early-1970s. "I learned more from Jerry than in all my classes," said Charles.
Sacred Heart presented Jerry with a framed illustration of the seminary and a "Piece of the Seminary" plaque embedded with a Pewabic tile uncovered in the main chapel during a recent renovation. The building administrator, John Duncan, who has worked with Jerry since 1992, said, "He mentored me through the years, and in a lot of cases, I was a student of his and still am."
Testifying to Jerry's love for Sacred Heart Seminary, public visitation of his body was held at the seminary as was his funeral Mass on January 7, 2008. Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, former vice rector of Sacred Heart, was the celebrant and homilist. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishops Earl Boyea, John Quinn and Francis Reiss, who were representing Cardinal Adam Maida, and all of Sacred Heart's resident priests. Friends and family members filled the chapel.
"Jerry Brown will be a part of the seminary as long as its walls stand."
From Sacred Heart Major Seminary website: http://www.aodonline.org/SHMS/Publications+5827/
Publications+Archives+10777/080111Brown.htm
"Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
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