Jerry Lee Jefferies of Fairfield, OH, left this world on June 27, exactly 81 years and 39 days after his birth on May 19, 1944.   Three years earlier, Jerry's mother, Roberta June Jefferies, had confided to close family members her plan to give birth to a son in May 1944.   Since Jerry arrived at the time scheduled by his mother, he was occasionally called "on time Jerry."

Jerry (often called JJ by his sisters and brother) was born and grew up in modest circumstances in Richmond, Indiana.  Although "sandwiched" between an older brother and sister and a younger sister, Jerry generated more than his share of attention.  As a child, he was good hearted but had a natural propensity for trouble.  A couple of early examples follow.

At age two, with his mother briefly out of the room, Jerry climbed on the family's kitchen table and rolled in the baking flour his mother had spread there.  When his mother returned, Jerry received his reward: a quick, cold bath in the kitchen sink with his clothes on.

At age seven, Jerry delighted in jumping from a chair in the basement and grabbing hold of hot and cold water pipes just below the ceiling.  There, unknown to mother, Jerry would swing back and forth.  One day Jerry swung too far and fell headfirst on the unforgiving concrete floor.  A fractured skull sent Jerry to the hospital and worried his mother for weeks on end.

In financial matters, Jerry was self-disciplined from an early age.  While his brother and older sister often blew through their modest weekly allowances, Jerry placed all or most of his in an empty coffee can that he kept under his bed.  When a sibling or even his mother needed a loan the "Bank of Jerry" usually obliged after carefully entering all loan details in a small notebook that Jerry kept close at hand.

Jerry was smarter than his brother and sisters, although his report card did not always show it.  He could read the sports page of the local newspaper when he entered kindergarten.  He was a whiz at math and was blessed with a phenomenal memory, sometimes rattling off telephone numbers to his mother so she didn't have to consult the phone book.

After graduating from high school in 1962 (where he was a member of the tennis and cross-country teams), Jerry entered Wabash College.  At Wabash, Jerry was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.  He graduated in 1967 with an economics major and was one of the few students in the College with an in-depth study of the classical and now unspoken language of Latin.

Jerry served in the U.S. Army.  For several years, Jerry was a field claim representative for the State Farm Insurance Company.  Later, Jerry was an independent rep for other insurance companies.  He was also a substitute schoolteacher from time to time.

Jerry's marriage to a wonderful and talented young woman in 1969 ended sadly through no fault of his spouse.  The marriage was blessed with one child, Diane Lee (Jefferies) Summerville, who provided unceasing and loving help to Jerry in his later years.

Jerry loved books.  He had two sets of encyclopedias and enjoyed checking one against the other when he delved into subjects that interested him.  Jerry's love of history may have been inherited from his maternal grandfather.  Jerry was especially intrigued by the Civil War and could talk as an expert on that bloody conflict.  Jerry's in-depth reading provided him with a formidable vocabulary.  One of his favorite words was "archaic."

Truth be told, Jerry genuinely felt he often knew more than the doctors he visited and the lawyers he consulted.  And, amazingly, sometimes he did.

In his long life, there were lengthy periods when Jerry was challenged by physical illness and mental demons.  In coping with these adversaries, Jerry sometimes fell short, but he never gave up and rarely complained.  Even when troubled, Jerry was quick, to the extent possible, to give unconditional love and support to close family members and friends.

Those who will miss Jerry include his daughter, Diane Lee (Jefferies) Summerville (Daniel) of Fairfield, OH, his granddaughters, Kayla (Summerville) Lives (Josh) of Fairfield and Camden Summerville of Fairfield, his brother, Robert Jefferies Jr. (Sylvia) of St. Louis, MO, his sister Patricia Jefferies (Bill Maloney) of St. Petersburg, FL and his sister Liz (Jefferies) Runyon (Paul) of Richmond, IN.  Also surviving Jerry are nieces Elise Runyon, Exton, PA, Amy Runyon Swanson (Erik), Waco, TX and Pamela Binegar (Robert), Seminole, FL and nephews David Jefferies (Renee), Cincinnati, OH, Michael Jefferies (Christine), St. Louis, MO and Stephen Jefferies (Hannah), St. Louis, MO.  Jerry was preceded in death by his mother, Roberta June Howell, his father, Robert Jefferies Sr., and his long-time and beloved stepfather, Gilbert Howell.

A memorial service to honor Jerry will be held at 12 noon on July 7 at the Stegall, Berheide, Orr Funeral Home, 222 North 10th Street, Richmond, Indiana 47374. Online condolences may be sent to the family via the guest book at stegallberheideorr.com.