Jerry Jackson, 74, of Dyersburg, TN, passed away on Friday, April 4, 2014 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. After four months of battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia, he went home to be with the Lord.

Jerry was born on August 9, 1939 in Nashville, TN, to Pauline Jackson Traughber and the late Robert Jackson. Jerry was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Dyersburg who lived his life with honesty and integrity. As a young man, he served as the Tennessee State Young Republican Chairman, a Presidential Electorate in 1972, and State Chairman for the campaigns of Howard Baker in 1966 and Richard Nixon in 1972. He was a three term alderman in Dyersburg and a member of the Jaycee's and Kiwanis. He became Vice President of Colonial Rubber Works and started three other companies in the rubber industry. He was chairman and a life member of Southern Rubber Group in which he was named Man of the Year in 1972. He was a University of Tennessee Trustee for twelve years. He also served on the Dyer County Election Commission and was the West Tennessee Vice Chairman of TAECO (the Tennessee Election Commission).

Jerry is survived by his wife of 46 years, Aleece Wolfe Jackson; his mother, Pauline Traughber and step-father Gordon Traughber; his son Jay and wife Amy of Kingsport, TN; his daughter Angie Smith and Robert Smith of Troutman, NC; his son, Drew and wife Hillary of Dyersburg; and his son Jon and wife Mallori of Kingsport; one brother, Richard Traughber of Springfield, TN and three sisters, Janet Haynes of Crossville, TN, Libby Cherry of Coopertown, TN and Linda Ferguson of Columbia, TN; his brother-in-law, Dr. Joe Wolfe and wife, Sara, of Dyersburg; as well as seven grandchildren, Jason Jackson, Ashlyn Jackson, Aaron Jackson, Whitney Smith, Kristen Smith, Ellie Jackson and Zoe Jackson.

The family will receive friends on Monday, April 7, from 5-8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Dyersburg.

Funeral services for Jerry will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, at First United Methodist Church of Dyersburg. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Dyersburg. Dyersburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Pallbearers will be Roney Butts, Curtis Cherry, Bill Dalton, Jason Jackson, Hubert Jones and Mike Myers. Honorary pallbearers will be Fred Artibee, Steve Gehring, Bill Hendrix, Koinonia Sunday School Class, Len Orr, Pickwick Old Friends Group, Bob Ross and Wendell West.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorials or donations be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Dyer County Humane Society, Dyer County Community Cancer Fund or to an organization of the donor's choice.