Justin Brown, a two-time World Series of Poker Circuit winner and a frequent participant on several regional poker tours, has passed away at the age of 38. Brown, of Bloomington, Indiana, died on Friday, February 2, from what his family described in an online obituary as an "aggressive form of cancer".
Brown, a familiar face at midwestern tourneys and occasional visits to Las Vegas, earned just under $400,000 in live tournaments plus an unknown amount in cash games and online during a career spanning most of his adult life. Brown's largest recorded tournament payday was a $82,302 winner's score in the main event of the 2011 Hollywood Fall Classic, at Hollywood Casino near Cincinnati.
Nearly half of Brown's recorded live-event winnings came in WSOP-branded events, including his Circuit wins at Harrah's Tunica in Mississippi in 2014, and at Harrah's Hammond (Indiana), near Chicago, in 2019. Brown logged 33 cashes in his WSOP career for total earnings of $196,271.
Engel brings news of Brown's passing to poker world
One of Brown's closest friends was the WSOP Circuit's career ring leader, Ari Engel, who attended Brown's memorial service earlier this week.
Other players who knew Brown also offered online condolences and memories. As shared by his family, Brown left a touching message for those who wished to honor his memory:
"If you think of me and would like to do something for my memory, do this; volunteer at a school, church, or library; write a letter to someone and tell them how they have a positive effect on your life; if you smoke - quit; if you drink and drive - stop; turn off the electronics and take a kid out for ice cream and talk to them about their hopes and dreams; forgive someone who doesn't deserve it; stop at all the lemonade stands run by kids and brag about their product; and make someone smile today if it is in your power to do so."
Featured image source: wsop.com
