Tornado Victim "Little Jerry" To Be Missed By Town Of Copeville
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COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - A massive volunteer clean-up effort in the rural Collin County community of Copeville is being done without one of the community's most beloved member.
Jerry Brazeal, 65, was killed in Saturday's EF-2 tornado.
He was inside his camper when tornado hit the town off of Highway 78 east of Lake Lavon.
Brazeal, better known in Copeville as "Little Jerry", lived a simple life.
What little he owned, his sister Alice McKinnon said, he often gave away.
"He'd give you his last dime and he didn't care if that was it – knowing maybe tomorrow he might not have anything. That's the beauty of someone that can live real simple."
McKinnon said her brother found peace living in the small farming community.
He had no phone or car but every day would bring eggs from the chickens he raised to the local daycare.
"He was just a really sweet old man," said Kara Scannell, whose son attended the daycare before it was destroyed by the tornado. "My son would always come home and say Mr. Jerry was asking him about his day was."
Jerry Funderberk was also killed by the tornado that struck Copeville. He was inside his home at the time with his wife, who was severely injured.
The Copeville community is working to raise money to help pay for her medical bills.
A memorial service for Brazeal will take place Saturday, January 9th, at Brazeal's favorite restaurant, Pizza Getti in nearby Nevada.
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