Copyright virginislandsdailynews
December 28, 1958 – 2025 It is with profound sadness that the family announces the transition to eternal life of Jonathan Elson Woodrow Brown, aka “Jonty.” Jonathan was preceded in death by his parents, his father the late Warren Elson Brown, his mother, the late Eugenia Eudora Jackson Brown, nee Stridiron as well as his brother, Boyd “Buster” Brown. He is survived by his son, Jahsheem M Brown; his daughter-in-law, Arielle Brown; his grandchildren, Judah and Jireh Brown; sisters, Corinne Brown Rushefsky and her husband Daniel, Anna Mae Brown Comment and her husband Denis, Debra Brown DeLone and her husband William, Jacqueline Brown Hoye and sister-in-law, Blondell Lake Brown; and aunt, Mildred “Millie” Brown; he is survived by many nieces and nephews, Rachel Palacios (Mitchell), Angela Comment McRae (Kevin), Xavier Comment (Carla), Andrea Brown White (Alonzo III), Annica Lake, Melissa Lake Vincent (Jerry), Agnela Lake and Jamaal Brown (Tamika), Nicole DeLone (Slater Graf), and Tim DeLone, and Danny Levi; great nieces and nephews, Dean, James and Kailey McRae, Aria and Ezra Palacios, Xavier D. Comment Jr. and Chloe Comment, Alonzo IV and August White, Dan Dan Levi and Summer Levi, Chanel Mullgrav and Alex Chapman, Taquan Mullgrav Rushefsky, Shirmoy Henry, Shirquan Henry, Shirman Henry, Maliyah Henry, Nicolas Vincent, Olani Francis, Asante Farrington, Jah’Malaki, Jah’Miloh, and Jah’Miyah Brown, Thayre Graf; great grandnephews, Miloy Henry and Lucha Henry; special and dear cousins, Elton Lipscomb, Analese Nevado and Julia Phillips, Maurice Donovan and Craig and Clarence Daniel and Tanya Brown Heyison and Robin Brown Hardy; dearest friends, Edward Bertrand, Ira Williams, Daphne Richardson and Erna Hodge, and the families of DeWindt, Stridiron, Jackson, Brown, Griffith, Donovan, Joseph, Fraser, Abraham, Kitnurse, Gomes and Ottley, and other family and friends too numerous to mention. Jonathan started his early education at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic grammar school which he attended from kindergarten until eighth grade before transferring to Charlotte Amalie High School. During that time, he met the love of his life Erna Hodge, and together they had their son Jahsheem Brown, a baby that would look exactly like his father Jonty and his grandfather, the late Warren E. Brown. As a teenager Jonathan worked during the summer at the Department of Conservation, Youth Conservation Corps Program, where he took pride in planting trees and flowers throughout St. Thomas. He relished and loved the free plant giveaways to residents of old and new Tutu, Nadir, Fort Mylner, Kirwan Terrace, and Warren E. Brown Apartments. For years after, he would proudly point out the trees he had planted on the Island. After high school, he worked at the Joseph Gomez Elementary School as a school aide. In the early 1980s, he relocated to Atlanta with Erna, where they had their son Jahsheem, who would be his pride and joy for the rest of his life. In Atlanta, he held several positions including being a writer and DJ in his spare time. His love for writing inspired him to write many lyrics and poems highlighting the Rastafarian culture and African Diaspora. In the mid-1980s he won a poetry award in California and was invited to Las Vegas to be honored and to participate in a parade. His writings filled several notebooks during his lifetime. From 1989 to 1991, Jonathan worked at the Atlanta Ritz Carlton Hotel in the front door operations assisting guests on arrival, a position that he loved and at which he excelled due to his warmth and personable approach to everyone. This position would lead to his appointment, from 1991 to 1997 by the late Governor Alexander Farrelly, as an Office Assistant and Trade Show Coordinator in the Atlanta office of the Virgin Islands Tourism Department. He returned to the Ritz Carlton where he continued to work until 2002. After these positions, Jonathan continued to work in Atlanta in the areas of customer service and security until Dementia changed his life. His kind, wonderful and joyous personality remained a part of him until the end of his life. A celebration of his life will take place at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. Burial to follow at Western Cemetery. Send tributes to: jwbarrangement@gmail.com no later than Oct. 29, 2025. Donation checks in honor of Jonathan can be made payable to My Brothers Workshop and mailed to PO Box 503205, St. Thomas, VI 00805 or online donations at: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/721049/donate
