Bartley Edward Brown

Bartley Edward Brown was born December 22, 1935, in Hanover, Jamaica West Indies. Bartley was the eighth of nine children born to Martha and Edward Brown. He attended school in the Cave Valley District March Town Hanover Jamaica. Bartley began his career in hospitality and later enrolled in Gauntlet Welding Trade school in Kingston Jamaica where he received his Certification in Welding. After graduating from trade school, he worked at Raymond Construction Company in Jamaica. His passion for welding was so profound that he went on to work for the Jamaican Bauxite for two years.

He had two children Faith and Keeling. In 1963, Bartley met and later married Hazel V. Hylton together they had 4 children Peggy, Heather, Pethronia, and Marlon.

Bartley migrated to the United States in 1968 to be with his wife. Upon his arrival, to the United States, he continued to further his career in welding and later joined Steamfitters Local Union 602 and retired from there. He started his own business Brownie’s Welding shortly after his retirement. His work was so admired that no one could find fault in his workmanship. And up until recently, he still receives calls from people asking for him to do work for them and he would laugh and say, “I’m an old man now.”

With his love for welding, he decided to install his very own fence around his yard by creating his design. He knew that no one could match the quality of work. In Bartley’s neighborhood, drivers would stop by, take pictures of his fence and give him compliments on his work. His next project around the house was making bed frames after he saw what the stores had to offer, he would say the material is not real iron and the workmanship is not up to his standard.

Bartley leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Hazel, and three children, Pethronia, Heather, and Marlon. Sister Nora Hewitt of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Daughter-in-law Dionne, grandchildren, Sly, Colby, Emani, Nia, Naydria, Ellieann, Andrea, and great-granddaughters, Azhar, Asyhia, and Olivia. Bartley was preceded in death by his son and daughter, Keeling and Faith who lived in Jamaica. Bartley also leaves behind a host of loving nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends.