Mr. Clifford  Brown Jr. May 1, 1952 - October 9, 2023

Clifford Brown Jr. was born on May 1, 1952, in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Clifford Brown, Sr., and Sula Mae (Drummond) Nared. Clifford was a lifelong resident of the Queen City, and while he spent some of his youth living in Madison, Indiana, Cincinnati was his home.

Clifford attended Sands Elementary and Heinold Junior High. Clifford graduated from Hughes High School in 1970 and completed a year of schooling at Southern Ohio College before enlisting in the military.

Clifford loved to tell the story of how when he was in high school, he was sitting on the porch, and one day he saw a pretty young girl getting off the bus. She was "oh so pretty," and he told his brother that she was going to be his girl. Every day he would wait on his porch for her bus to arrive until one day, he worked up the courage to finally ask her out. Supposedly she said no, but he continued to pursue her until she finally said yes. On June 6, 1972, Clifford married that girl from the bus - the love of his life, his "sunshine, his only sunshine" Rose Marie Nettles at Marbly Memorial Methodist Church. To this long-standing union were born five girls: LaTashia Renee, Felicia Marie, Cynthia Denise, Rosalyn Yvette, and Carrie Mae.

Clifford was a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he was a radiation technician. During his time in the military, Clifford and Rose lived in Texas and Virginia before eventually returning home to Cincinnati, Ohio following his honorable discharge. Clifford was employed as a bus driver for Cincinnati Metro Bus, and later as a mail clerk with the United States Postal Service.

Clifford was a man of many words and many stories! And we do mean many!! He would always share stories of his life and his observations on the state of the world with anyone! From religion to politics, from food to Cincinnati history, from his love of the Bengals and the Reds to his love of chess and checkers, Clifford loved to talk about anything and everything! He loved to read, and he never met a book or newspaper that he didn't love – or had to have! Clifford had a thirst for knowledge and the English language like no other! It seems like he was always dropping a word or phrase in a message to his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids that would have any one of them saying, "Wait – let me go get a dictionary to look that up!", only to find out that it was simply another word to add to their own vocabulary! His text messages were not just texts – they were as long as chapters in a book that were also love letters to his family. And even though he loved to send text messages or leave voicemails saying "This is your father!" to his daughters, he loved writing letters, complete with bookmarks, pictures, and scriptures that punctuated every page.

Clifford was a man of strong and unwavering faith. He was baptized as a child, and then again as an adult when he joined Lockland Church of Christ on March 3, 1978. During his time at Lockland, he served as a deacon.

Clifford was preceded in death by his father Clifford Brown Sr., stepfather George C. Nared, father-in-law, Jimmie S. Nettles, mother-in-law, Mattie Mae Nettles, and son-in-law Ril M. Beatty, III. Clifford leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife of more than 51 years and high school sweetheart Rose Marie Brown, forever known as "Rosie"; his "girls", the "five points of a star and giving off light to all", his five daughters LaTashia (Derrick, Sr.) Reedus, Felicia Brown, Rosalyn (Carlos Stewart) Brown Beatty, Cynthia Brown, and Carrie (Frank, Jr.) Rhodes; eleven grandchildren who were the light of his life, Derrick Reedus, Jr. ("DJ"), BrieAnna Reedus, Alyssa Moore, Sienna Reedus, Myles Moore, Kamaryn Reedus, Matilyn Beatty, Aniya Moore, Gwendolyn Beatty, Aiden Rhodes, and Aubrey Rhodes; bonus grandson Michael Stewart; mother Sula Mae Nared; brothers Gregory Brown, Simeon Yisrael, Alan Brown, Kenneth Nared, and Kevin (LaKeisha) Nared; sisters Shirley Phoenix, and Teresa Nared; sisters-in-law Julia (Wiliam) Pitts, Charlene (the late Gerald) Bea, Anne (Charles) Battles, Patricia (Albert) Beacher, Michelle Nettles, and Regina Brown; brothers-in-law Benjamin (Lynn) Nettles, and David Nettles; special cousins Yvonne Tubbs and Doug Ferguson; special son Antuan Moore; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and other beloved family and friends.