Roscoe Brown, the last of the Tuskegee Airmen pilots known to live on Long Island, told his family he did not want an elaborate church funeral. He wanted a jazz band to play instead, and for people to get together over shared stories and maybe a cold beer.

“He wanted the music to carry the story of how Roscoe Brown loved life and all of his various families — his friends, his political family, his educational family,” said his son, Dennis Brown, 65, of Sag Harbor.

For the complete story by Martin C. Evans of Newsday, click here.