Jerry Hugh Partridge

Jerry Hugh Partridge was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi on June 12, 1939, and raised in Leeds, Alabama. He went home to meet his Savior on Sept. 16,2019 after positively influencing thousands of lives in his 80 years. His wife of 63 years, Patricia, as well as his four kids and 11 grandkids shared their Jerry/Daddy/Pop with students, athletes, the communities and ice cream patrons for a lifetime. Not one would change a thing, because that would mean changing Pop, and that would have been the mistake of a lifetime … a lifetime of learning that if you "Do Right" nothing else matters. Isn't it funny that nobody seems to want to change a man who is open to change and finding the best way to get things done as well as finding the best in others? Jerry was a Greenie. He graduated from Leeds High School in 1957, just in time to marry the love of his life Patricia, or "Honey" if you hung around the house long enough to hear them converse. Before either was 25-years-old there were four kids who would spend many a year working hard to share one bathroom. Kent, Miriam, Dana and David made it work, because if you learned nothing else from Pop it was to play as a team. That meant living as a team. That meant "Doing Right." After graduation from LHS and spending two years on a milk truck before any sane people woke up, or some insane ones went to bed, it was off to Samford to play and win a lot of games under Coach Bobby Bowden. Then the coaching began to the tune of 36 years at West End, Jones Valley, Phillips, Midfield, Huffman and Coosa Valley where everyone who played for him, including both sons, learned that the most important thing about football is relationships. As the lure of the gridiron ebbed, the siren song of Logan Martin Lake and the grandkids flowed. It was pontoon boats and poker games. Fourth of July pig roasts and plenty of body convulsing laughter. But mostly there was Courtney, Jesse, Elise, Keith, Christian, Patrick, Olivia, Matthew, Sam, Kaleo and Mali. There was Teresa, Eric, Brian and Andi. And there still is. Soon there will be Charlie and she will hear much about her Great Pop. Through it all, there was always Trisha, from the time one was 8 and the other 5- years-old. That's 72 years, 63 of those married to the love of each other's lives. They did life the hard way, persevering through slim times to raise a family while both completing college degrees in fields dedicated to helping others. Leeds was home, and in 1994 they moved back, renovated the old home place and 25 years of the greatest family Christmases ever happened on Sims Street. Grandkids in their 30s, along with their spouses, still show up to enjoy their own Christmas spend the night party with Gran in charge and Pop stirring mischief. There is no greater tribute to the man whose life we celebrate today than his influence on his family and countless former players and coaches. The man who preached relationships also knew that the ultimate relationship with Christ means really living, because it compels us to "Do Right" by Him, by the ones we know and love, and even the ones we don't know and love yet.