Jerry Brawner

Services to celebrate the life of Jerry Wayne Brawner, 72, will be held 3:00 p.m. Sunday at Holly Baptist Church with Bro. Thomas Magers, Bro. John Boler and Bro Justin Watson officiating. Burial to follow at Wheeler Grove Cemetery.

Jerry passed away on February 20, 2020 surrounded by his loving family. Jerry was born February 12, 1948 in Corinth to the late Mody and Aileen Wilson Brawner. A native of Corinth, Jerry fell in love with basketball at a very young age. He graduated from Kossuth High School in 1965 where he was an All-State Basketball player. He was highly recruited by Ole Miss University where he played center on the Ole Miss Rebels men’s basketball team. Jerry majored in physical education and graduated from Ole Miss in 1969.

Jerry began his career in 1971 as a driver’s education teacher and basketball coach at Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Mississippi. In ’74 he moved to Alcorn Central and then into his high school alma mater Kossuth High School where he retired as the assistant principal in 2002.

After retirement, Jerry decided to return to teaching and coaching at Middleton High School and then Bolivar High School where he retired a second time in 2006. Outside of his professional career, Jerry served almost 31 years on the Board of Directors at the Alcorn County Electric Power Company (ACE). Jerry was a member of the Ole Miss M-Club and frequently burned up the road to Oxford to watch a game…any game. He was also passionate about gardening, farming and getting to know anyone that he happened to meet.

Jerry and his family have been active members of Holly Baptist Church since 1991 where he served as a trustee, Sunday school teacher and youth leader. In addition, he chaired several pastor search committees and served in many other areas of the church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter; brother and sister in law Dick and Betty Atkins.

He was the loving husband of 50 years to his Kossuth High School sweetheart Diane Gwyn Brawner; father of Jeffrey Wayne Brawner (Denise) of Corinth and Emily Ruth Brawner-Allen (Stephanie) of Denver, Colorado: grandfather of Rylan Ruth Ann Brawner-Allen and Blakely Marie Brawner-Allen of Denver, Colorado; sisters Evon Armstrong (Travis) and Teresa Wilbanks of Corinth, Mississippi.

The Brawner family will receive friends for visitation from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on Saturday evening at Holly Baptist Church and Sunday from 1:30 until service time at Holly Baptist Church 172 CR 713, Corinth, Mississippi.

Pallbearers will be Wade Muse, Josh Latch, Adam Fowler, Hunter Williams, Walter Hastings, Cordale Jones, Branson Tennyson and Eric Burress. Honorary Pallbearers are Billy Glidewell, Steen Dalton, Jackie Duncan, Jimmy Thompson, Danny Martin, Steven Holley, Myrle Crow and the 1966-69 Ole Miss Men’s basketball team.

Donations can be made in honor of Jerry to the Holly Baptist Church Building Fund, 172 C.R. 713 Corinth, MS 38834.

Condolences can be left at www.mcpetersfuneraldirectors.com