Jerry Eack Presley, 86, of Dyersburg, TN, passed away on Saturday, 11 MAR 2023, at the Tennessee State Veterans' Home in Humboldt, TN.

Graveside services were at 2:00 pm, Sunday, 12 MAR 2023 at Fairview Cemetery, Dyersburg, TN, with Preacher Kevin Sellars officiating. Dyersburg Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. Family and friends met at the cemetery to celebrate Jerry's life and wish him farewell.

Jerry was born on 24 JUL 1936, in Tupelo, MS to the late Eack and Ethel (nee McCoy) Presley. Jerry attended elementary, junior high and high school in two places: Pascagoula, MS and Hughes, AR. Jerry and his close friend Charles Grigg, of Hughes, AR, were lifeguards at Blue Lake in their youth. Jerry married the love of his life, the late Donna Jo (nee Prichett) Presley, of Finley, TN. They were married 54 years when Donna passed.

Jerry was a self-employed row crop farmer, earning Farmer of the Year in Dyer County, TN in 1968. At that time, he had cotton, corn, soybean, winter wheat, Hereford cattle and hog crops. As time progressed, he refined his crops to soybeans and winter wheat. Parts of the land he farmed was named such as "Dummy Line", "Hopke" and "the Bottoms".

Jerry attended Finley United Methodist Church and served as a Deacon. Jerry loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman, member of Dyersburg Bass Club and was very involved in the Dyersburg Gun Club for many years. Jerry and his son Ed were avid trap shooters in younger years.

Jerry was a handyman, a public relations man and a social butterfly while trying to help his son out any way he could at Physical Therapy of Dyersburg. He was a very simple man, but his greatest pleasure was his family.

Jerry proudly served his country in the United States Army as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC, where he performed his last jump and landed with parachute malfunction, straddle of a barbed wire fence. He was shaken up but okay.

Jerry served Dyer County on the Great River Road project for the Mississippi River Corridor in Tennessee, which is a complex and ever-evolving organization that involves uniting hundreds of key stakeholders and property owners within the region to also preserve the area's important and significant resources like vegetation, wildlife, soils, water, trails, sites of historical, geological and archaeological interests, scenic views, vistas and areas of high aesthetic value. The MRCT will provide managed access to this unique region for cultural, recreational and educational experiences along the Mississippi River.

Survivors include his first born, Pennye Lyn (nee Presley) Thurmond and her husband Chris Thurmond of Dyersburg, TN, his son Dr. Jerry Edward Presley, of Dyersburg, TN; a sister, Hazel Dean (nee Presley) Brinkley of Memphis, TN; two grandchildren, Tara Lyn (nee Deal) Gibson and her husband Tim Gibson, and Anne Barret (nee Deal) Richards and her husband Jeffery Richards; and six great-grandchildren: Kale Gibson, Hallie Gibson, Ava Gibson, Mady Richards, Tanner Richards and Presley Richards, all of Dyersburg. Jerry was active in all the children's lives.

Jerry had beloved pets during his lifetime; Lady, the black lab, GiGi, the Lhasa Apso, and Rusty, the brown lab in his later years. Rusty and Jerry were inseparable.

Pallbearers will be Tim Gibson, Jeffery Richards, Tanner Richards, Chris Thurmond, James McKnight, Mark Korn and Scotty Lacy.

Memorials may be directed to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, the Dyer County Community Cancer Fund, PO Box 1055, Dyersburg, TN 38025, the Dyersburg/Dyer County Humane Society, 1120 East Court Street, Dyersburg, TN 38024 or to the Tennessee State Veterans' Home, 2865 East Main Street, Humboldt, TN 38343.

Dyersburg Funeral Home would like to give their condolences to the Family of Jerry E Presley.

Find a Grave Memorial No. 250467831 JERRY EACK PRESLEY added by Suzanne E Presley on 12 MAR 2023.

Last update 23 APR 2024.