Jerry Daniel Fordham Sr.

Jerry Daniel Fordham Sr., died on Saturday, 16 November 2016 after waging a fierce and dogged battle with prolonged illness in the caring hands of Hospice care. Jerry lived a life that was marked and lifted by hard work and the sweat of his brow. He was a man of diverse talents and an unstoppable work ethic – though 2 decades of poor health in his latter years robbed him of some the pure joy the work of his hands had provided. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Knight Fordham, his wife of 56 years, 2 sons, Jerry Daniel Fordham, Jr. and Mary Fordham of Colorado Springs, CO; and Douglas Knight Fordham and Amber Fordham of Doswell, VA. 7 Grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren provide a lasting legacy; they are [grandchildren] Renea (Earl) MacLellan; Lisa (Bill) Dotson; Jedidiah and Therabella; [great grandchildren] Isaiah; Dylan; Mia; Lilyann; and Grace. Jerry is also survived by nephews Keith and Neil Fordham. Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Fred Fordham, his Grandson, Joshua Daniel Fordham and his Brother Bobby Fordham - and it is a certainty that they are enjoying the heavenly cooking talents of Jerry and Bobby's mother, Thera, who also preceded Jerry in death. A great home going indeed! Jerry began his working life very early as a child, working on the family farm. But a relationship with his S. E, Bulloch High School basketball coach led to a very sure pathway into the working world. Not only did Coach “Griff” Griffeth find Jerry to have the potential to play college-caliber basketball, due to his hustle and rolling jump shot, but he also gave Jerry a job on his farm and in his meat packing / butcher enterprise that would one day become Jerry's own small business named Brooklet Food Company, a successful family business for several decades - 10 years under Jerry's leadership. But Jerry tried his hand at factory work (where he was reputed to work as hard as any 2 men put together) and with Savannah Electric Power Company before that business opportunity came along, meeting Miss Dorothy Lorene Knight, shortly before she would graduate from Georgia Southern University (formerly Georgia Teachers College) and with whom he had graduated from S.E. Bulloch High School in 1956. Jerry discovered his truest calling in 1977 when he began a career with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, working at Amicalola Falls State Park as a minimum wage day laborer. Within 3 years Jerry was offered the job of maintaining the largest State Park in the state, Unicoi State Park, a job that required his family to relocate and live on the premises. That job paved the way for Jerry's talents to bloom beyond all measure, and he would make that career a labor of love for more than 20 years, cultivating personal and professional relationships that have stood the test of time.... Upon retirement in 1998, Jerry, would focus on Dot’s “Honey Do’ list around their home & his hobby of woodwork. He enjoyed volunteer work at the Food Pantry & the White County Senior Center – Jerry was an active member of Mount Yonah Baptist Church for 22 years & served as a deacon there – For the last 10 years he and Dot have enjoyed actively serving at Cleveland First Baptist Church…. Jerry spent more than 20 years in medical retirement, where he was known to invest a great deal of time and energy caring for his home, landscaping and woodworking – and also consulting with the great minds of Cleveland, GA at the local McDonalds, where much coffee was drunk and much bull was shot! Funeral services will be held at 11 am Wednesday January 20, 2016 at Cleveland First Baptist Church. The Rev. Doug Merck, Rev. Dennis Turner, Rev. Bucky Erwin and Mr. Eric Bentley will officiate. The family will receive friends 5-7 pm Tuesday at the funeral home. Flowers may be sent to Barrett Funeral Home – 118 N. Brook Street, Cleveland, GA 30528 – or in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center – 2150 Limestone Parkway Suite 115, Gainesville, GA 30501, or First Baptist Church of Cleveland – P.O. 250, Cleveland, GA 30528. Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.