Captain James Ernest Brown, 82, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, May 8, 2009. He was born on October 8, 1926 in Mulberry, FL. He was a veteran & served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Ernest retired from the Jacksonville Fire Department as a captain in 1972. He then went on to serve the Panama City Beach Fire Department as fire chief until 1981. He was of the Baptist faith and a member of Duval Station Baptist Church. Ernest is survived by his faithful wife of 50 years, Dorothy McCoy Brown; his son, Stephen J. Brown (Connie); his daughter, Valerie Brown Sawyer (Joshua); grandchildren, Matt, Tonya, Kelly, Robbie and Jamie; several great-grandchildren, other extended family and dear friends. Ernest will be remembered for his love of God, his family, the Bible, Gator football and playing his guitar. Funeral services were held on Monday May 11 at 1:00 PM in the chapel of Cedar Bay Funeral Home, 405 New Berlin Road, Jacksonville, 714-1110, with Brother Steve McCoy officiating. Interment followed in Ferreira cemetery. The family received friends on Sunday from 4-6 PM. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Send any pictures you would like have on this page to: