Jerry Whitt

1938 - 2017

Jerry Gray Whitt CHARLOTTE - The Reverend Doctor Jerry Gray Whitt, 79, formerly of Charlotte, NC, but most recently living in Ocala, FL, died at home on May 30, 2017. He was born January 25, 1938, in Pulaski, VA, to Alfred Whitt and Louise Gray Whitt and graduated from Pulaski High School in 1955. He graduated from Lynchburg College as well as from Lexington Theological Seminary with both the Master of Divinity degree and the Doctor of Ministry degree. He was ordained as a minister of the Disciples of Christ (Christian) Church. He served several churches during his 50 years of ministry: Central Christian Church in Memphis, TN, where he was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement; Belmont Christian Church in Roanoke, VA; River Road Church in Richmond, VA; First Christian Church in Winston-Salem, NC, where he was instrumental in establishing Hospice in NC; First Christian Church in Frankfort, KY; First Christian Church in Henderson, KY; and SouthPark Christian Church in Charlotte, NC, where he retired after serving there for 16 joyful years. Jerry married Janice Horsley on June 26, 1960, with whom he had four children. He married Barbara Leonard Bentley on July 24, 1986, and became stepfather to her three children. In addition to being survived by his wife Barbara, he is survived by all four children (Kim Whitt McKone and her husband Mark of Jamestown, NC; Brad Whitt of Grapevine, TX; Marc Whitt and his wife Natasha of Boone, NC; and Jonathan Whitt and his wife Michelle of Olathe, KS); all three stepchildren (Jim Bentley and his husband Nathan Bell of Washington, DC; Amy Bentley Johnson and her husband Tommy of Ocala, FL; and David Bentley and his wife Ashley of Indian Land, SC); grandchildren (Matthew McKone; Dyer and Clayton Whitt; Steve, Michael, and Connor Whitt; Josh and Ella Whitt; Zachary, Alex, Bentley, and Camryn Johnson; and James and Lee Bentley); and brother Barry Whitt and his wife Carol of Roanoke, VA, and nephew Benjamin Whitt also of Roanoke, VA. Jerry was highly involved with outreach throughout his ministry, working closely with Crisis Control in Winston-Salem, NC, and Crisis Assistance Ministry and Loaves and Fishes, both in Charlotte, NC. He was a football, basketball, and soccer coach for all the boys. He was an avid fisherman, enjoying many exciting fishing trips on the New River with his brother Barry. Before being affected by Alzheimer's disease, he also was an insatiable reader, an accomplished tennis player, and a skilled bridge player. He loved sitting on his back porch watching the birds and butterflies and napping with his dog Copper. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Jerry Gray Whitt will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 10, at SouthPark Christian Church in Charlotte. The Reverend Bruce Baker-Rooks will be officiating. Interment of Jerry's ashes in the Columbarium at SouthPark Christian Church will be private. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or www.alz.org.