Jerald Lee Manley

Jerald Lee Manley was born in Connersville, Indiana, to Robert Lewis Manley and Edna Francis Brumback Manley on October 14, 1940. He loved to reminisce of time spent in his youth on his grandparents' farm in Eastern Kentucky. He married his bride and nurse, Julie Ann Hudson, in 1964, with whom he had three children. He loved books, was fascinated by gadgets, liked to wear suits, and attempted to garden. His professional life was spent in full-time service to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He began preaching at the age of 18 and eventually earned a B.A. in Bible from Bob Jones University and an M.Div. from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary, where he was completing his Ph.D. when his Lord called him home. He was honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Pensacola Christian College in 2004. He pastored in Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois, but his longest pastorate was at The Heritage Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, where he served for 50 years and 8 months. He was the author of five books and the editor of The Baptist Heritage, a journal of homiletics and opinion. He taught New Testament courses at Pensacola Theological Seminary and devoted much of his later years to intensely mentoring pastoral interns who served in his local church. He was preceded in death by his parents and "a great cloud of witnesses." He is survived by his wife Julie; sister Jane Guiley (Scott); son James (Leann), daughter Joy, and son John (Caitlyn); grandchildren Rebecca Manley Wilkerson (William), Jessica Schutz, Emily Schutz, Abigail Schutz, Brianna Manley, and Raymond Manley; numerous nieces and nephews; and thousands of people to whom he ministered. This servant departed in peace on August 18, 2025.