Obituary of Jerry O’Neal Browner

On the night of May 11, 2023, Jerry O’Neal Browner, aged 83, passed away of natural causes in his Dallas home.

Born in Dallas, Tx on October 14, 1939, to construction foreman Claney and homemaker Chloe, he spent most of his childhood moving from place to place with his family as his father labored on various public works projects in Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington. It was there, in the Pacific Northwest, that Jerry developed a deep and abiding love for camping and the great outdoors. Listening to him recount those summer days of swimming holes and sleeping out under the stars, we could truly say that those times were some of the happiest of his life. Although this happy childhood would be cut all too short by the death of his father when he was only 15, Jerry would rise to the occasion and help support his mother as they moved back to Texas settling with his grandparents in Glen Rose.

After finishing high school in Fort Worth, Jerry would balance his college career at TCU with working a number of jobs to financially support his mother. He later graduated TCU with a degree in business administration and accounting, applying that degree in his new career as an accounts auditor at Zale’s Corporation and later at White’s Department Store.

Even in those difficult early days, it wasn’t all work and no play for Jerry. Living in Fort Worth in the early Sixties gave him the opportunity to see many of his favorite musical acts including Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley. He also made sure to attend services at Preston Road Church of Christ where he met his future wife Karen Mitchell. After dating for several months, Jerry and Karen were married on August 26, 1976 at Preston Road. They welcomed their first son, Jeffrey in 1977 and moved to their new home in a nice Dallas neighborhood bordering Farmer’s Branch where they established themselves at Prestoncrest Church of Christ.

In order to support his new family which had grown with the addition of a second son, Eric, Jerry worked a variety of jobs but spent the bulk of his career as a print operator at MBNA Bank. Not willing to let his job interfere with his time with his family, Jerry stayed involved in his sons’ activities often chaperoning Boy Scout campouts as well as serving as PTA president at Cabell Elementary.

After retiring in 2003, he kept himself busy with volunteer work most notably running the Bible correspondence program at Walnut Hill Church of Christ as well as serving as a precinct chairman and election judge for Dallas County. In addition to his passion for volunteering, he also had a love for reading and a fascination with science and technology which he passed on to his children.

He was predeceased by his father and mother, Claney and Chloe Browner as well as his two half brothers Ralph and Gene Browner. He is survived by Karen, his wife of 46 years, their sons Jeffrey (Suzanne), Eric, and his cousins Brenda Moss and Byron Robinson.

Jerry was a loving husband, a caring father, and a good friend, and as he moves on to his new heavenly home, he will be remembered with much fondness and love.

His family would like to thank the members of Prestoncrest Church of Christ for all of their generosity and support in these trying times.

Memorial Service for Jerry Browner:

Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Prestoncrest Church of Christ
6022 Preston Crest Lane
Dallas, TX 75230

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in Jerry Browner’s honor to:

Nathan and Mahsa Elyaar – Kelisanet
To give online to this ministry:
www.prestoncrest.org/give
Regular/Special Contribution and scroll down to Kelisanet
or Make Checks payable to: Prestoncrest Church of Christ (include a note with check or specify the designation in the Memo line)
Mail to: Prestoncrest Church of Christ. 12700 Preston Road, Suite 210. Dallas, TX 75230

Central Texas Children’s Home
13200 Crane Road
Buda, TX 78610
512 543 1386
ctch.org

Caring Pathways of Carrollton
2150 N Josey Lane, Apt 318
Carrollton, TX 75006
469 758 0063
caringpathways.org/