Jerry A. Cherry

1942 - 2021

Jerry A. Cherry

December 4, 2021

Jerry A. Cherry of Dayton, Texas and Christiansburg, Virginia, passed away on Saturday, December 4, 2021. Jerry was born in February 1942, in Dayton, Texas, and was predeceased by his parents, Arthur T. "Buddy" Cherry and Lillie Mae Holt Cherry.

He is survived by his wife, Linda A. Dudley; the mother of his children, Rebecca J. McAlister Cherry; his sister, Carol Ann Cherry Manning (Richard); his children and stepchildren, Sara Cherry Nuckolls (Will) of Walkersville, Maryland, P. Ray Cherry (Mary) of Boydton, Virginia, Benjamin T. Cherry (Rachel) of Bristol, Tennessee, Stephanie A. Wirt, Amanda Wirt Gland (Steve), and Emily J. Wirt of Christiansburg, Virginia; grandchildren, Nikki Gland-Turpin (Matt), Jinx Thrasher, Leah Cherry, Drew Cherry, Maliyah Payton, David Nuckolls, and Kai Payton; great-grandchildren, Sutton Turpin and Finn Turpin; nephew and niece, Russell Ginsel (Sharon) and Julie Mifflin (Tommy); grand-nephews, Ray Ginsel and Ryan Ginsel; grand-niece, Lilly Ginsel; best friend, Curtis Seaberg, numerous beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends and colleagues.

Jerry was educated at Sam Houston State University and The University of Missouri. He was a professor at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (1972-1986); and Professor and Department Head of the Poultry Science Department and Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture at The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (1986-2008).

Jerry and Linda have divided their time between Christiansburg, Virginia, Athens, Georgia, and Dayton, Texas since their retirement.

A Texas cowboy, Jerry's hobbies included watching Virginia Tech and University of Georgia football, cheering on the World Series Champion Atlanta Braves, reading, playing poker, savoring scotch, writing about The East Piney Woods of Texas, and watching his "kids" enjoy themselves.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel, Blacksburg, Virginia on Saturday, December 11, 2021. Visitation will be from 2 until 4 p.m. prior to the service at McCoy Funeral Home.

Honorary pallbearers will be Robert White, Coley "Red" Wright, Curtis Seaberg, Robert Seaberg, Paul Siegel, Delbert Jones, David Hutcheson, and David Schankenburg.

Dress is casual, please. Another memorial service will be held in Dayton, Texas on a 2022 date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate in Jerry's memory to St. Jude's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?.