Jerry Forrest Gaither

Jerry Forrest Gaither, age 89, passed from this life on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 after a brief illness. Funeral services will be Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Woodfin Memorial Chapel with David Dunn officiating. Burial will be in Donnell Cemetery in Auburntown, Tennessee. Visitation will be held from Noon until 2:00 the day of the funeral.

He was born on a farm in Auburntown, Tennessee as the youngest of ten children. He graduated from public school in Auburntown, graduating from Auburn High School in 1945. Immediately upon graduation he joined the U.S Navy and served until the end of WWII. He graduated from MTSU with his undergraduate and later Masters Degree in Education.

He served as teacher, coach and principal of schools in Murfreesboro, Cannon, Wilson and Rutherford Counties. He was also City Superintendent of Watertown City Schools and Rutherford County Schools. He was a personnel analyst at General Electric. He worked for the Tennessee Department of Education as Supervisor/Technical Education, Guidance andCounseling Services, Pupil Personnel Services, and as Director of Career Education. He also worked in real estate, auctioneering and farming.

Mr. Gaither served on the Rutherford County Board of Commissioner for 12 years. He was Chairman of the Welfare, Health, Education and Personnel Committee and on the Steering and Legislative Committee He also served as President of the Cannon County Education Association, President of Rutherford County Education Association, founding President of Tennessee County Commissioners Association, and President of Tennessee County Services Association. He served as a member of the Tennessee Personnel and Guidance Association. On a National level he was chairman and secretary of the American Vocational Association Membership and a member of the National Association of Counties.

He was member of First Baptist Church, Blue Raider Club, Rutherford County Historical Society, Rutherford County Farm Bureau, and MTSU Archives and Museum Oversight Committee.

He is survived by his daughters, Maxine Gaither, Jana Wisniewski (Ron), Jill Levkoff (Ray); Granddaughters Kimberly Redmon, Christy Benson, Lindsay Levkoff Lynn and Jessica Levkoff; eight great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Jerry was known best for his dedication to public service, his love of people, history and the stories of people. He was also passionate about his farm, land management and conservation.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in the memory of Jerry Gaither to Alive Hospice Inc,. 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN, 37203-9658, or The Salvation Army, PO Box 791, Murfreesboro, TN 37133-0791.

An online guestbook is available for Mr. Gaither at www.woodfinchapel.com.