Mr. Donnie "DJ" Ray Jarvis' Obituary
Donnie Ray (Don) Jarvis, a resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee was born in Kingsport, Tennessee to Nellie Williams Jarvis and William D. Jarvis on March 9, 1950. He passed away unexpectedly in Hendersonville, Tennessee on January 16, 2019 at the age of 68.
Don was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Jill Wood and son Jarrett Jarvis, both of Hendersonville, his brother Bob Jarvis (Carolyn) and sister Phyllis Callahan, all of Kingsport, Tennessee, his brother Michael Jarvis (Kendra) of Oxford, Kansas, and sister Joyce Conkin (Anthony) of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Don grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee and attended Dobyns-Bennett High School where he was active in sports, especially basketball. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and served his country. After his discharge from the Army, he attended Atlanta Christian College and graduated with a degree in Christian Education and Music in 1977.
Music was Don’s passion and his ministry. He was a gifted songwriter and performer. He wrote and recorded many contemporary Christian songs and won recognition from Georgia Songwriters Association for his songs, A Quiet Place and Lift Him Up. He served as youth minister in several churches in Charleston, SC and Covington, GA.
In 1986, he moved to Nashville, TN and created Open Door Productions, a multimedia company which developed projects including CD-ROM, DVDs, and website development for a variety of companies and artists. He also served as General Manager of CRT Custom Products in Whites Creek, TN during this time.
Throughout his life, Don was an avid fisherman. He enjoyed fishing in tournaments and was active in several ministries that promoted Christian fellowship among fishermen.
Visitation will be 11:00am Saturday, January 26 at Spring Hill Funeral Home in Nashville, Tennessee. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at 1:00pm. Pastor Mark Grubbs will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Gideons International.
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