Jerry “Wide Leg” Hearon was born August 16, 1940 to Claudie Jewel and Vernon Hearon in Ozan, Arkansas. He died April 12, 2016 at a Nashville, Arkansas hospital.
He grew up in the St. Peter community and was a member of St. Peter CME Church. In 1944, Jerry and his siblings were adopted by Ellis and Malinda Wiley. He graduated from Clow Training School in 1959. Jerry worked at the Basket Factory, the Case Company, the shear and knife plant. He married Willie Bell White on July 29, 1961. They were parents to four children. Jerry went to the Benson Nursing Home in 1999 following his illness. He started attending Free Christian Zion Church. After returning home, he started attending New Light CME. When his health failed, he went to the Nashville Nursing Center.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, William Hearon, Shirey Archer and Roy Lee Stewart; and three sisters, Claudine Works, Helen Anderson and Florene Stewart.
He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 54 years, Willie Hearon of the home; one son, Stevie (Cynthia) Hearon; two daughters, Shelia (Willie) French, Jerri Lynn Hearon and her friend, Roger Witherspoon all of Nashville; a sister-in-law he raised as a daughter, Polly (Charles) Madlock of Ozan; three sisters, Vanilla Golston and Wilma Carrigan of Nashville and Celestine Harper of California; one brother, Donald Ray Hearon of Las Vegas, Nevada; his pride and joy, the grandkids, Monica and Torrez French, Aaysha and Aaliyah Hollins, Rajon and Rahja Witherspoon, Shannon, Shawn and Justin Kennedy, Jakeshia Hopkins; a former son-in-law, Horace Hollins; four sisters-in-law, Jimmie White, Johnnie (Bernie) Young, Virginia (RD) Johnson of the area, Helen (Clyde) Barbee of Chicago, Illinois; two brothers-in-law, Maryland White and Kenneth White; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be held from 11:000 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 23 at New Light CME Church, 1301 South Mill Street, Nashville.
Interment will be at Sunset Gardens in Nashville. Arrangements entrusted to Hicks Funeral Home, Inc.
