Leo Brown

Ireton Leo Brown, 78, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away at the Rossville Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Rossville, Kansas on Monday, October 24, 2022.

Leo, as he preferred to be called, was born May 15, 1944, in the Highgate District of the Parish of St. Catherine in Jamaica, West Indies -the son of Albertha Redden and Steven Brown. He grew up in Jackson District, Jamaica. He eventually met Adassa Morris-Williams with whom he had daughter Susan in 1968. They later moved to Jericho District where he last lived before moving to the United States. He worked for the National Water Commission (NWC) in Jamaica from February 1968 to June 1993, as a Plant Operator I, and also Superintendent I and III, at the Jericho Pumphouse Water Treatment facility. He briefly attended the College of Arts, Science and Technology, C.A.S.T., while employed at the NWC. He also worked as a truck driver and occasional taxi driver. He was married in 1975, and the marriage produced two sons, Julian Bernard in 1976, and Olsen Dane in 1981. He divorced in 2008.

He emmigrated to the United States in July, 2000 and Topeka became his hometown. He obtained Permanent Residency in February of 2001, and full U S. Citizenship five years later. He worked at Payless Warehouse, Reeser's, Ramada Inn, USD 501, Walmart, and finally as a Janitor at ISS Facility Services which was his final place of employment when he had a minor stroke August 2015.

Leo loved to learn. He constantly absorbed and shared any and all knowledge. He loved languages, especially Spanish, and would break into Español from time to time; and he loved to laugh. He also enjoyed taking pictures of people and things even though he was not a very good photographer. He was a self-appointed, unofficial ambassador to Jamaica, who would tell anybody he met about the island and encourage them to visit. Leo loved to eat and watch television; he was a big couch potato.
He enjoyed being around others and had a nickname for almost everyone he met. He was the life of the party and one of the favorite residents at each nursing home where he resided.

Survivors include daughter, Susan (Terry) Henderson of Topeka, Ks, and son, Julian Bernard; brothers Herman (Juliette) Hayles, Ontario, Canada, and Errol, and sister Pauline of Jamaica, West Indies, nephews, nieces, cousins and many other loving family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Steven and Albertha, son, Olsen Dane, brothers George "Clive" Simon, Zedekiah "Marley" Howell, all of Jamaica, and his aunt Louise Redden, of New Jersey. He will be greatly missed by family and friends all over the world.

A Celebration of Life will be at 2 p.m. on 9 December, 2022 at Penwell-Gabel 1321 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, KS 66604. The family will greet friends an hour prior to the service times. The family invites you following the service to Rosewood Event Center 3216 SW 29th Street Topeka, KS 66614 at 3:00 p.m. for food, refreshments and sharing of stories.

The family encourages you to wear Jamaican flag colors to his services.

Leo's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click Here to view the service.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the Midland Care Connection's PACE Program at 2134 SW Westport Drive, Topeka, KS 66614.


To leave a message for his family online, please visit the guestbook below.