Leland A. “Lee” Brown, 82, of Harper Woods, MI and formerly of Port Huron, MI passed away on Saturday, February 5, 2022, following a brief illness. He will be greatly missed by his family and a wide circle of friends and colleagues.
He was born on November 20, 1939, in Flint, MI, and was one of eight children of Kenneth and Mary Brown. The family moved to Port Huron, where Lee was educated, excelled in baseball, grew into a young man, and ultimately graduated from Port Huron High School. Lee went on to receive his Associates Degree from St. Clair County Community College. After community college, Lee married his high school sweetheart, Judith Ann “Judi” Schleicher, and moved to Kalamazoo. Together, they started their family, while Judi worked as a nurse at Bronson Hospital, and Lee worked and completed his B.S. in Business at Western Michigan University. Lee and Judi subsequently returned to Port Huron, and raised their family of five children.
After completing his undergraduate studies, Lee initially joined General Motors as a manager before joining the Sweden House restaurant group, where he ultimately became President and General Manager. Lee also worked for many years in real estate in Maryland, and in Michigan. Lee was an avid golfer, fisherman, and sports fan. Lee developed a wide circle of loyal friends spanning his childhood through his years in the business world, but perhaps most of all, enjoyed spending time with his family, including his children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Some of his fondest experiences included fishing trips to northern Canada, having a great meal with family and friends, attending sporting events, treating people to something new he had discovered, and travel. Lee was widely known for his generosity, his concern for others who were less fortunate, and his quiet assistance to many others in countless ways over the years. Faith was important to Lee, and he and his family attended churches including Griswold Street Baptist Church, Ross Bible Church and Colonial Woods Missionary Church in Port Huron, and Church of the Redeemer in Gaithersburg, MD.
Lee is survived by his wife, Judith, and children, Robin (Jon) Wigginton of Frederick, MD, Bradley (Tracy) Brown of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, Justin Brown of Utica, MI, Merissa Brown of Warren, MI, and Jason Brown of Harper Woods, MI. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, including Noelle Wigginton of Brunswick, MD, Noah, Daniel and Benjamin Wigginton of Frederick, MD, Gabrielle Gouin and Sabrina Brown of Port Huron, MI, Justin Brown of Utica, MI, Larenz Brown of Port Huron, MI and Shiney, Mersha, Shawn and Ni’ Ghania Brown of Warren, MI, as well as 2 great-grandchildren. Lee is also survived by his brother Roger Brown of Columbus, MI
He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Mary Brown; his very close in-laws, Marvin and Cecil Schleicher; and six siblings, including Kenneth, Jerry, Fred and Herbie Brown, Kathryn Rann, and Ruth Strand.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 4, 2022, at the Pollock-Randall Funeral Home, Port Huron, MI.
A remembrance and celebration of Lee’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Griswold Street Baptist Church, Port Huron, MI with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. and at a later date, in Kamuela, HI. Pastor Joel Mitchell will officiate, and all are welcome.
Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse or Operation Transformation. To send condolences, visit pollockrandall.com.
