Jerry A. Landers Sr.'s Obituary
Jerry A. Landers, Sr. died on February 21, 2019. He was the son of the Rev. Alfred J. Landers and Vannie Landers, the second of five children. He grew up in south Cobb County as had at least six generations of Landers before him. He graduated from the Austell High School and went on to continue his education at Young Harris College. He obtained a law degree from John Marshall Law School.
In 1954, he married a pretty brunette named Beverly who had moved to Austell from Rockmart and to whom he was married until she passed in 2009. He and Beverly had three children: Jerry A. Landers, Jr., Rev. Dr. Bill Landers and Leslie Pair.
During his lifetime Jerry was employed as a Marietta police officer, worked in Howell’s Yard for the Seaboard Railroad, and operated a successful Amoco service station business in Buckhead with his brother Gene. After leaving the service station business he went to work for the Correctional Industries Division of the Georgia Department of Corrections and retired from the Fugitive Division of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. After his retirement Jerry and Beverly became world travelers, visiting Europe and Asia on several occasions, meeting many good people along the way and with whom he communicated regularly until his death.
Jerry was a member of the Austell First Baptist Church, and the Fishers of Men Sunday School Class. He was a Shriner and a 32nd Degree Mason as a member of the Latham Lodge. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict and the Berlin Crisis. He was a former member of the Cobb Hospital Authority, former trustee of Truett McConnell College, past president of the Civitan Club, a former member of the Cobb Children and Youth Commission and many others. He was the recipient of many awards and recognitions.
He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Alfred J. Landers and Vannie Landers, brother Gene A. Landers, sisters Jackie Oglesby and Penny Turner and his wife of 54 years, Beverly Landers. He is survived by his three children, Jerry A. Landers, Jr. (Anne), the Rev. Dr. Bill Landers (Teresa) and Leslie Pair, grandchildren Margaret Graton (Jason), Morgan Landers, Jonathan Landers (Wendy), Jeremy Landers, Katie Pair and Makenzee Pair, sister Cynthia Ayres (Kerry), and many cousins and nieces and nephews.
Jerry did everything you could dream of doing, and got away with more than any one person should be allowed in one lifetime. If you knew him, you really wanted to be like him, but could not. Now he’s in heaven.
Honorary pallbearers are members of the Fishers of Men Sunday School Class and the Women’s Sunday School Class at the Austell First Baptist Church, Freeman Poole’s Sunday School Class at the Mableton First Baptist Church, Garfield Hammonds, Betty Cook, Gerald Prewett, Jim Harmon, Tracy Bowers, Lewis Tsang, Lee Moss, John Nash, Art Krinsky, Harry Lee White, Anthony Kirk, Leon Sells, Bill Jones, Bobby Whitworth, Chuck Topetsez, George Smith, Roy Barnes, Ray Barnes, Eddy Barber, Dr. Donald Dennis, Boomer Hudson, Ken Brantley, Frank McGuire, Tommy Waldrop and Dr. William Whaley.
The family will receive visitors on Sunday, February 24, 2019 from 2:00pm until 5:00pm at the Davis Struempf Funeral Home, Austell, Georgia. Funeral Services will be on February 25, 2019 at 11:00am at the Chapel at Davis Struempf Funeral Home, Rev. Eddie Barton officiating.
In lieu of flowers, Jerry preferred that donations be sent to the Caribbean Ministries Association to support Bill and Teresa Landers' Missions Ministry. The address is CMA P.O. Box 9161, Chattanooga, TN 37412. Please note "Landers" in the memo. If you would prefer to give online, please visit missioncma.com, click on the donate tab, then scroll down to Landers family.
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