ST. LOUIS (AP) Friends, family, teammates and members of the community filled the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church to say goodbye to former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown Jr.

He was remembered Saturday morning for his religious beliefs, sense of humor, physical presence and his lifelong desire to play in the NFL. Brown grew up in St. Louis and attended Vashon High School.

His casket was Cowboys grey with the team’s star logo on the inside. His No. 53 Cowboys framed jersey and pictures from his life bracketed the casket, along with a signed helmet from the Indianapolis Colts.

Brown, who was signed to the Dallas practice squad in October after being cut from Indianapolis, died when the car he was riding in flipped after hitting a curb. The driver, Josh Brent a teammate with the Cowboys and at the University of Illinois, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter.

More than a dozen of his teammates from Illinois and high school attended the service. The Cowboys, who held a service on Tuesday in Dallas, will will wear a “53” decal for the remainder of the season to honor Brown.

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