Jerry Lee Ramsey's Obituary
A life long resident of Tennessee, Jerry Lee Ramsey was born at the Vanderbilt Hospital in South Nashville. As a child, Jerry was the protective big brother to his little sister. Family was always sacred and special to him. He became a member of Madison First Baptist Church and married his second wife Regina on June 12, 1993. He took his vows seriously and spent over nineteen years with his beloved Regina. A handsome gentleman of medium build, Jerry sometimes wore a beard but most often he sported a mustache to please his wife. His proudest moments were becoming a husband, father and grandfather. Loyal EmployeeAlthough Jerry only had a sixth grade education, he had a strong work ethic. A dependable employee of the Swifty Oil gas station on Gallatin Pike in east Nashville, he loved his job and gave good, friendly service. Jerry lived next door to the station when he met Regina. After two or three cups of his morning coffee, Jerry would drink water throughout the day. He took pride in his job and people praised him for his exceptional service. His smiling face could be seen almost every day waiting on people and making new friends. He “never met a stranger” according to his family. How he loved wearing hats, especially mesh caps and although he had several hundred in his collection, his favorite was the Swifty Oil hat. He liked how it looked with his striped or plaid shirt. ComedianJerry went to great lengths to encourage people to laugh. When on their honeymoon in Daytona Beach, Florida, he talked about how sexy he looked in his trunks sunning himself at the pool and wanted to know if his wife thought so too. He would enjoy telling simple corny jokes in an effort to make others laugh. In fact, he would do almost anything for a laugh including putting on a dress and walking up and down the street! He believed in simplicity and didn’t like frills. The most important lesson he taught others was to love everybody, laugh often, and enjoy life. Easy to LoveJerry did not like controversy. If confronted with such a situation, he would walk off because he never wanted to lose his temper. He believed it took more of a man to walk away from an argument. There was one time when he did not back down or walk away. He endured a leg injury from an accidental gun shot wound when he fell down some steps. The doctors wanted to remove his leg but he refused. He met his biggest challenge head on and his leg was saved from amputation. A loving, caring, simple man, Jerry stood apart from crowd. Everything about him was unique. He was a man of contrasts – he could be really funny and his quiet nature, his very presence, spoke for him. As his granddaughter asserted, “He was so easy to love and respect.” Animal LoverA pair of adorable dogs known as Pomchis (Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix), were devoted companions to Regina and Jerry. Cloe was his and Zoey belonged to his wife. The couple also made room in their home for their cat Smokey. Jerry loved all animals including rabbits and chickens. Past TimesJerry loved old time music especially blue grass. Although Elvis was his favorite performer, he thoroughly enjoyed Johnny Cash, and the Oakridge Boys. A perfect day off for Jerry would include throwing horseshoes, watching wrestling or a soap opera on television and eating a slice of strawberry pie. He found joy in the simple things in life, playing the ‘artifact shuffle’ with his collections of knives, old money, 8-track tapes, and tools. He treasured his checkers game from Cracker Barrel and in later years he could often be found sucking on a peppermint candy playing checkers or cards. LegacyJerry Lee Ramsey passed away at age 72 in Madison, Tennessee. Predeceased by his parents and a brother, Jerry is survived by his cherished wife, Regina, ten children, two sisters, one brother, twenty six grandchildren, one step-daughter and three step-grandchildren.
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