Jerry Ross Dantzler

Jerry Ross Dantzler, 50, passed away peacefully at his Denham Springs home in the Hour of Mercy on January 15, 2023, after courageously fighting Fronto-Temporal Dementia for more than five years.

Born April 11, 1972 in Baton Rouge, Jerry went to Cornerstone Academy and graduated from Belair High School. He worked at ExxonMobil Chemical Plant for more than 20 years as an operations technician, and built a successful maintenance business with the help of his wife and son.

He enjoyed lifting weights, and at one point he was able to bench press more than 500 pounds. Jerry loved LSU football and was always the life of the party. He loved to laugh and make jokes, often attending standup shows and writing his own comedy pieces. He had a heart for people and was known to pay for someone's gas or breakfast if they came up short at Storey's, the local convenience store.

He could calm any fussy baby, never met a dog that didn't like him, and he loved other people without bias, judgment, or discrimination. Jerry was baptized and confirmed before his death, with his confirmation name Francis for St. Francis of Assisi, known for his ministry to the poor and underprivileged and his care for animals.

The first one to offer help - and the last one to ask for it - Jerry would often say, "I may not be the smartest person in the room, but you won't find anyone to outwork me," and that's how he overcame even the toughest of obstacles.

He worked hard and fought valiantly against a rare form of early onset dementia. When it became clear it was a battle that could not be won, Jerry chose to donate his brain and spinal cord for research at the Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of Texas, San Antonio to keep fighting for others even after his battle was lost.

Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Julian Franklin Dantzler; his mother, Maggie Bell Mullins Dantzler; his brother, Julian Edward Dantzler; and his sister Wilda Ayn Dantzler.

He is survived by his loving wife, Holly Blanchard Dantzler; his sons Justin Dantzler (Ashley); Bradain Higginbotham and his daughter Meghan Sellers (Blake).

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the Pinnacle Hospice staff members Sundi Freeman, Kathy Borden, Amber Rhodes, Shelley Wintz, Tammy Reine and to his personal caregiver, Carolyn Kaltakdjian. Their kindness and dedication will never be forgotten.

A private Celebration of Life will be held in Jerry's honor later this month.