Kirk Brown

After a courageous battle with cancer, David Kirk Brown passed away on February 24, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 53. Kirk was born on April 17, 1964 in Houston, Texas to George and Virginia Brown. Kirk grew up in the Spring Branch area of Houston and later moved to the FM 1960 area. After graduating from Klein High School in 1982, he moved to San Antonio and was self-employed there his entire life, working in the residential and commercial construction and renovation business. Kirk enjoyed life, worked hard and played hard, and had one of the kindest hearts and most honest souls you ever met. He liked motorcycles and fast cars, and survived a few close-call crashes over the years - a real daredevil. He was a rocker to his core, with Stevie Ray Vaughn being one of his favorite artists. He named one of his dogs Stevie after Stevie Ray died in a helicopter crash in 1990. Most of all, he loved and had great respect for the outdoors - it was where he found his peace and comfort. He was an avid explorer of the Texas Hill Country. He particularly enjoyed studying and collecting Indian arrowheads and amassed an impressive collection over the years. But his favorite hobby was seeking, and protecting, snakes he captured in the wild, often bringing them home to his snake farm to observe them but always eventually releasing them in the wild. He had the uncanny ability to find snakes hiding under rocks and brush. He was fearless and would handle all kinds of snakes including rattlesnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes, and copperheads, even after being bit several times. Kirk was an expert on Texas snakes, their behavior and their habitat. He hated to hear of snakes being killed senselessly, saying people only do that out of ignorance. Kirk respected and protected them, and loved to educate others on this misunderstood creature; he was even known to bring a pillowcase of his favorite pets to family get-togethers. Kirk is survived by his long-time partner, Renee Kemper; daughter, Angela Stephens and her husband, Will; daughter, Holly Brown; mother, Virginia Brown; sister, Rebecca Bouhklif; brother, Ken Brown and his wife, Deborah; brother, Andrew Brown; nieces, Anisa Bouhklif and Kelly Miller; nephews Bryan Brown and Scott Brown; and granddaughter, Robin Stephens. Kirk felt particularly blessed to live long enough to meet Robin, who was born only a few months before his passing. Kirk is also survived by his life-long friend, Dan Laurendine, and Dans family, who were like family to Kirk. A memorial service will be held for family and close friends at Kirks home: 248 Grobe Street, San Antonio Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 at 2:00pm Dress: Casual, as Kirk would have wanted In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Kirk to the South Texas Herpetology Association which promotes the conservation of wildlife in general and of reptiles and amphibians in Texas. South Texas Herpetology Association 8023 Hill Trails San Antonio, Texas 78250 www.southtexasherpetologyassociation.org In the words of Kirk, Another day, another good time in the woods. Rest in peace.