Comer JENNINGS Jr.

1926 - 2016

Legare Comer Jennings, Jr. died peacefully in his sleep on March 6th, 2016. He was 89 years old. An important artist and teacher, Comer spent his career chiefly as a portrait painter based in Atlanta. He is best remembered for his style, intellect and biting humor. He also loved to dance.
Comer spent the last 6 years of his life in the fine care of Brighton Gardens in their Memory Care Unit. He suffered from dementia and died of old age. A service of celebration will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree Rd. in Atlanta on Thursday, March 17th at 2:00 pm.
Comer was born in Eufaula, Alabama to Legare Comer Jennings and Kate Beebe Roberts Jennings on October 29th, 1926. Comer attended prep school at Culver Military Academy and spent his college years at Princeton and UNC, and earned his Bachelor of Arts at Emory University. He was affiliated with the Cottage Club at Princeton and like his father was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Comer served in both the US Coast Guard and the US Navy toward the end of WWII.
Following WWII Comer spent several years in the advertising business in Philadelphia with N.W. Ayer & Son and later New York City with McCann-Marschalk. In 1960 he moved to Atlanta with his wife and new-born first son to work on the Coca-Cola account. As a young advertising executive Comer championed Bo Callaway's run for governor and helped host the 1976 Democratic National Convention in New York that nominated Jimmy Carter.
During his advertising years Comer continued to chase his ambition to become an artist. In high school he had taken the "Draw Me"
correspondence course that inspired him to attend the New School and the Art Students League in New York. In Atlanta, advertising gave way to art and a new studio was added to his beloved Tudor-style home at 2525 Woodward Way. There he flourished into the South's preeminent society portrait artist also producing large format botanicals, still lifes, and seashells. He was actively painting until he moved into Brighton Gardens in 2010 and continued to produce drawings of his fellow residents.
Comer enjoyed his reputation as an artist, and the friends it brought him. Commissions included prominent members of the South's social, business and political community. He was particularly proud of his portraits of Jimmy Carter, Bob Woodruff and Chet Atkins. He was also adept at painting children. His diverse friends included Andy Warhol, James Robinson, Julian Robertson, Richard Jenrette, and Judge Martin Schoob. He was related to Harper Lee, and must be pleased to be accompanying his friend Pat Conroy through the pearly gates.
He was a member of the Century Club in New York City, The Mountain Brook Club in Birmingham, Alabama, the Piedmont Driving Club and Mensa. He built two adjacent houses at Lake Rabun to accommodate his sons' growing families, and regularly claimed to have "invented" Lakemont.
For over 30 years, he was a part-time teacher and a board member at the Atlanta College of Art. In addition he served as a member of the board of directors of the Atlanta Ballet, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (he designed the logo for the Gardens, and iconic image still in use today). He has been called the man who "brought style to Atlanta".
Comer was married for 11 years to Ann Elizabeth May of Burlington, NC, (now Mrs. Pegram Harrison), and is survived by their two sons, Legare Comer Jennings III married to Donna Reynolds Jennings and Benjamin May Jennings. Comer is also survived by five grandsons: James (Jack) May Jennings, Legare Comer Jennings IV, William Reynolds Jennings, Samuel Legare Jennings and Benjamin May Jennings, Jr. He was predeceased by his younger brother C. Robert Jennings.
The family wishes to thank his faithful caregivers Brighton Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the FACT Relief Foundation: www.factrelief.org.