Service Saturday for Jess Brand, Sr.

Services for Jess Brand, Sr., 75, of Redding, CA, formerly of Allen are 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the Allen School Auditorium. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery, near Francis.

Mr. Brand passed away Sunday, January 24, 2021 in Redding. He was born February 18, 1945 in Allen, OK to William Joshua and Ruby Nunnelley Russell. Jess grew up in Allen, attended Allen schools. He earned a degree in gun-smithing from Lassen College, Susanville, CA.

Jess married Shirley Meeks in November, 1991 in Allen. She preceded him in death. Jess spent many years in the Redding, CA area, where he drove a logging truck until his retirement. Jess had served in the U. S. Navy on the USS Midway in the early 1960’s.

Survivors include daughter, Michelle Hawkins and husband Todd, McAuthor, CA; two sons, Jess Brand, Jr., Anderson, CA and Doug Meeks, Allen; two sisters, Terry Riddle and husband Glen, Allen and Taffi Bunyard and husband Steve, Ada; 22 grandchildren; and 36 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Shirley; two brothers, Charles E. Brand, Jr. and Richard Lee Brand; two sons, William A. Brand and Shorty Meeks; a great-granddaughter; and one sister, Willie Mae Russell Farmer.

Bearers will be Nick Meeks, Chris Jones, Dylan Johnson, Doug Meeks, Jess Meeks and Acea Duran. Honorary bearers will be Mike Hopper and Kevin Meeks.

Jess was a man who loved his family and friends dearly. He was always there when a family needed him. He loved to joke and spend time with his family and friends. Jess was a man who never met a stranger. Among his many talents was a gunsmithing and knife making abilities. He loved the wilderness and the wildlife it contained. We used to jokingly tell him that he had been born several centuries too late. He would have made a great mountain man, who hunted and traveled the Rockies of the 1800’s.