Judy Katherine Brown

Judy Katherine Leitner Brown of Austin, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 9, 2023. She was born Dec 19, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois, the second of four children raised by Connie and Tommy Lee. The family moved quite a bit while she was growing up, which somehow left her with an unmistakable, yet unidentifiable accent that piqued the curiosity of friends and strangers alike. When asked she would say, “I developed it from watching television!” No one could argue with that.

Judy met Steven (aka Steve, Skank, Downtown Steve Brown) Thomas Brown, Sr. in El Paso in her twenties and the 2 fell in love practically overnight. They were married on October 19, 1974. She gave birth to 2 large babies, Jasmine Lee Brown in June of 1976 and Thomas (Steven Thomas Brown, Jr.) in February of 1979. Her zest for life included enjoying such things as driving around the country following The Grateful Dead, kids in tow and all. The family always did summer vacations such as driving into the Colorado mountains, touring Washington DC, and renting a house boat for a week on Lake Travis. She did all of this despite chronic lifelong pain in her back and hips from a vehicle accident in her young adulthood.

The family settled in Austin in the mid-1980s. They came for the overall vibe and quickly became fixtures in many scenes. Demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit and the strength only fellow mothers will understand, Judy was integral to the inception and development of several small family businesses the Browns put into action. She helped foster a sense of support and family among the many people touched by these ventures. All while being a stay-at-home mom!

By and large Judy did her best to live her life the way she chose and generally wasn't constrained by societal expectations or legalities. In 2005 Judy came to stay with Jasmine for a couple of weeks. She stayed for 17 years becoming a permanent fixture in the household. Jasmine and Thomas took excellent care of her despite her unique challenges and her tendency to focus on self-care. In turn, Judy loved her kids and grandkids very much and in her own special way. This included caring for her grandkids while Jasmine was at work for many years.

She is survived by her children, Jasmine (Chris McCandless) and Thomas (Katy Fallon-Brown), and grandchildren Lavender and Vox Schwass, all of Austin. Her father, Tommy Lee, and sister Robin Ferguson (Richard), of Union Grove, Alabama also survive as well as nieces, nephews, in-laws, and extended family. She was predeceased by her ex-husband, Steve, her mother, Connie, and brothers Michael and Terry.

A small gathering of friends and family will be held at Austin BeerWorks on March 11th from 2-4pm. Internment will take place at the Lee family plot in Paris, Tennessee the weekend of May 13th, 2023.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishsouth.com for the Brown family.