Gerald Derek Brown, of Baltimore, Maryland, passed away peacefully on July 5. He was 71. His beloved mother, Essie Mae Brown, and his oldest brother, Oliver Williams Jr., welcomed Gerald to his heavenly home.

From an early age, Gerald was known for his curiosity, quiet ways, and quiet kindness. As a student, he excelled at mathematics and rarely encountered a piece of technology that didn’t fascinate him, or that he couldn’t conquer. Those were among the skills and abilities that made him a standout student at Baltimore’s premier Polytechnic Institute. That passion, intellect, and those interests also propelled him to study engineering at the illustrious Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a B.S. degree.

For a number of years, Gerald worked successfully in the engineering field, where he held leadership and contract positions with Verizon and other corporations in Maryland. Later in his career, Gerald found an opportunity to share his math knowledge and love of the subject, as a teacher in the Baltimore City School system. Outside of work, friends, family members, and students alike also benefited from his expertise. Gerald was a willing tutor and the go-to-person when math problems seemed impossible to solve and a computer glitch felt like a crisis.

In his spare time, Gerald enjoyed reading books that deepened his faith, explored Christian doctrine, and biblical history, or covered the latest computer applications and math theories. His shelves were also filled with comic books—mostly superhero stories—that brought him joy. A true aficionado, Gerald spent years amassing an impressive comic book collection. He also enjoyed listening to gospel music and watching college and professional basketball and football games.

Passionate about his calling and faith in Jesus Christ, Gerald made Faith Baptist Church his church home more than three decades ago. There, he served faithfully as an associate minister, often despite many health challenges.

Gerald is survived by his son, Joshua Derek Brown (his mother is the late Collettia M. Hawkins-Brown); and two brothers, Brian Williams and Fabian Williams.

Gerald was preceded in death by his grandparents, Jethro and Mattie Brown; and aunts, Marie Brown Goode and Carletter McGruder.