In Loving Memory

James Davis Brown, Jr. July 17, 1959 – March 4, 2026

James Davis Brown, Jr., 66, of Bluefield, West Virginia, passed away suddenly on March 4, 2026.

Known to so many simply as “Jr.,” he was born on July 17, 1959, in Richlands, Virginia. Jr. lived a life full of warmth, laughter, and genuine connection with the people around him. It can truly be said that he never met a stranger. At the time of his passing, he called Bluefield, West Virginia home a community he loved and that loved him right back.

Jr. was a graduate of Bluefield High School, Class of 1978. As a student athlete he played football and was on the track team. Jr. was a member of the 1975 Beavers State Championship team. He also held several school records for Shot Put that remained untouched for several years after graduating. Jr. went on to attend West Virginia Tech where he played football and he crossed the burning sands into the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Jr. was the kind of person who made everyone around him feel welcome. He had a natural gift for bringing people together, and nowhere was that more evident than on the ballfields and courts of the Bluefield Recreation Department. Jr. first retired from the Bluefield Recreation Department after 19 years of service and later retired from Mercer County Schools. Even in retirement, he remained active; on any given day you could see him around town cutting grass, raking leaves, clearing brush, or moving on to the next task. Jr. also believed in staying active by walking almost daily.

Jr. was preceded in death by his father, James D. Brown, Sr.; his mother, Margaret Olivia Brown; his aunt, Rose Marie Moore; and his uncle, Lee Roy Brown.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Kimberly Brown; his daughter, Jasmine D. Brown; and his son, James Davis “Tre’” Brown, III. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Alice C. Goforth; his sisters, Ellen Choate Barney (Harry) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Lakisha Amaker Francis (LaMonte’) of Bluefield, West Virginia; his first cousins, Margaret House and Howard Moore of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and other relatives who will miss him dearly.

Celebration of Life Service

Saturday, March 14, 2026, 3:00 p.m.

Cravens-Shires Funeral Home

3431 Coal Heritage Rd, Bluefield, WV 24701

Officiating Rev. Garry D. Moore, Sr.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. until the servicer hour.

Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Gardens

6605 New Hope Rd, Bluefield, WV 24701