Garry Brown, cherished husband, father, grandpa, and friend, took his last breath the evening of July 5, 2026. The day prior, he attempted to extinguish an electrical fire at home and went too long without adequate oxygen. Our family made the impossible decision to let him go, knowing that it was far too soon but that no time is enough with the ones we love.

Garry was born April 17, 1955, in Marion, Indiana to Barbara Brown, who described him as a “spider monkey” at birth and said he was small enough to fit in a shoe box. This may come as a surprise to those who knew him as an adult - he was almost 6 feet tall with broad shoulders and hands that his son joked looked as if they could belong to a gorilla. Despite this, he was an incredibly tender and sensitive man. He poured his heart into everything he did.

He spent nearly 50 years cruising the highways and byways of the U.S. as an over-the-road trucker. He was so well-traveled he became a human GPS - you could be completely lost, give him a call with minimal details such as a road sign you saw a few miles ago, and somehow he would know exactly where you were and get you headed in the right direction. His favorite song to listen to at the end of a long haul was “Mama I’m Coming Home,” an ode to his love.

He loved to cook and was known by some as the “Soup Nazi” (Seinfeld fans will know). He made the best chili anyone has ever had. If you enjoyed a meal made by Garry, you know how lucky you are. Feeding people was one way he showed his love.

He was also a pool shark, a poker aficionado, an avid fisherman, a handyman extraordinaire, and a perennial comedian. We could write a book filled with his stories, and in fact, we might do just that.

Garry will be deeply and eternally missed by his wife of 37 years, Geri (Armstrong), daughter Chaya (Michael Hera), son Greg (Sandy Nguyen), daughter Nicole (Nick Breed), grandchildren Cody Shilts, Ethan Hera, and Henry and Mollie Breed, great-granddaughter Zoey Shilts, siblings Larry, Julie, and Norman, siblings-in-law Mike, John, Jimmy, Jim, and Susan, and many dear family members and friends.

We want to express our sincerest gratitude to the first responders who revived Garry and gave us a chance to say goodbye, as well as the compassionate and kind staff at Mayo Clinic who guided us through the hardest days of our lives.

We love you, man.

There will be a Celebration of Life Gathering for Garry on Thursday, July 9, 2026 from 4-7 p.m. at Chippewa Valley Cremation Services - Celebration of Life Center (1717 Devney Dr, Altoona).