3 minute read

Platinum SPOTLIGHT

from June | July 2023 Current Magazine

from June | July 2023 Current Magazine, page 9

Tech Tip

It was November 1, 1975, when Chuck Brown and his late wife Cheryl first opened the doors of Brown and Sons Funeral Home & Crematory. Nearly 50 years later, the Brown family is still helping others navigate difficult times with compassion and sensitivity.

Both came from humble beginnings, Chuck from Cortez, Cheryl from Sarasota, and grew up with a deep appreciation for our local area. After Chuck completed his education in Cincinnati, Ohio, they moved the family back to the Bradenton area with the intention of starting their own business. Only one bank agreed to lend them money and with Cheryl’s day care as collateral they bought the lot at 5624 26th Street and built what is now the 26th Street Chapel.

With six of them sharing just 800 sq. ft. in part of the funeral home, the family had moved in just one day before opening on Halloween. Chuck’s memories of their first night are vivid; what he remembers most was the immediate sense of community, as the family was welcomed by neighbors and trick-or-treaters alike. He recalls Cheryl making new friends and getting the word out about their new business at the local laundromat those first few years, until she finally got her own machine. One thing that is clear as he reminisces about those early days is how much of their success he attributes to Cheryl. Whether she was growing the family business, supporting her children’s teams, raising funds for a new school stadium, running the Pittsburgh Pirates Boosters, serving her community, or just caring for her family; she was not just the Matriarch, “she was the heart of the Brown family”. Unfortunately, Cheryl passed away in August of 2022, but her memory lives on. The mark she left on everyone she met and the community is still felt.

Just like the song Cheryl loved by Simon and Garfunkel, Brown and Sons endeavors to be a Bridge Over Troubled Water for grieving families. At a time when multi-generational family owned and operated businesses are rare, Cheryl and Chuck’s legacy lives on at Brown and Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory with three generations working at the business and continuing to serve their community.