Dr. John Edward Jenkins

DR. JOHN EDWARD JENKINS - 93 (AKA: DAD, POP, GRANDPA, PAPA JOHN, BROTHER, UNCLE MAC AND " CHIEF"), PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HIS HOME ON JUNE 17,2022 SURROUNDED BY FAMILY. JOHN WAS BORN JULY 2,1928 IN RUSTON, LOUISIANA. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS DEVOTED AND LOVING WIFE
OF 21 YEARS, MARY LOUISE (SIEGMUND) JENKINS WITH WHOM HE SHARED THE RICHEST, MOST
REWARDING QUALITY OF LIFE IN RETIREMENT. JOHN IS ALSO SURVIVED BY SONS: WILLIAM DAVID
JENKINS, EDWIN SWINTON (JANICE) JENKINS, LEONARD DOUGLAS JENKINS, DAUGHTER: EVA LUCILE
JENKINS, BONUS SON: WILLIAM ROBERT (PATTI) CAMERON, BONUS DAUGHTERS: KATHRYN JANELL
(JASON) LEWIS, DONNA MARIE(AUSTIN MOSS) JERNIGAN, 21 GRANDCHILDREN 17 GREAT-
GRANDCHILDEN, AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS WHO HE TRULY LOVED AS HIS OWN.
 

JOHN WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS WIFE OF 50 YEARS: EVA BELLE (POTTER) JENKINS, TWO SONS: GEORGE
EDWARD JENKINS AND JOHN THOMAS JENKINS, HIS BROTHERS: DOUGLAS JENKINS AND LEONARD
JENKINS AND SISTER: LOUISE (BRIGGS) JENKINS.
 

JOHN WAS A VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II EARNING THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL. HIS LAST
DUTY STATION WAS AT THE BLIMP BASE IN HOUMA, LOUISIANA WHERE HE ASSISTED IN THE BASE
CLOSURE. AFTER SERVING IN THE AVIATION CORPS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, HE ATTENDED
SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY AND RECEIVED THE BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREE FROM
LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY IN RUSTON, LOUISIANA IN 1951. HE DID HIS GRADUATE WORK AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE AND LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY. HE RECEIVED
HIS MASTER OF MUSIC EDUCATION DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI IN 1976
JOHN WAS AWARDED A FELLOWSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI IN 1977 WHERE
HIS DUTIES INCLUDED DIRECTING THE UNIVERSITY CONCERT BAND. HE RECEIVED HIS DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY IN MUSIC EDUCATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI IN 1978.

JOHN'S EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION INCLUDED TEACHING MUSIC AND DIRECTING BANDS IN NATCHEZ,
MISSISSIPPI, DENHAM SPRINGS, LOUISIANA AND HARVEY, LOUISIANA. HE WAS SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
IN NATCHEZ-ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALSO SERVED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS GUIDANCE
COUNSELOR AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND WAS DIRECTOR OF BANDS AND INSTRUCTOR OF MUSIC
AT MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN PERKINSTON, MISSISSIPPI UNTIL HIS
RETIREMENT, THEN DID ADJUNCT INSTRUCTION AFTER RETIREMENT FOR FOUR MORE YEARS.

JOHN HAS HELD MEMBERSHIP IN THE AMERICAN SCHOOL BAND DIRECTOR'S ASSOCIATION, MUSIC
EDUCATORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE, FIRST CHAIR OF AMERICA, AMERICAN SCHOOL BAND AND
ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
MUSICIANS, PHI BETA MU, ALPHA LAMBDA TAU, STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AND MUSICAL
ASSOCIATIONS, CHARTER MEMBER AND PRESIDENT OF THE KIWANIS CLUB, CHARTER MEMBER OF
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL, MISSISSIPPI MUSIC EDUCATIORS ASSOCIATION, AND THE AMERICAN
LEGION.
 

BESIDES SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES HE CONDUCTED THE NATCHEZ SUMMER RECREATION
BAND AND THE NATCHEZ OPERA GUILD, PLAYED WITH THE JEFFERSON PARISH POPS BAND AND SHRINE
CIRCUS BAND, WAS A MEMBER OF THE CONCERT CHOIR OF NEW ORLEANS, SANG WITH THE NEW
ORLEANS OPERA AND EASTERN SHORE CHORAL SOCIETY, AS WELL AS PLAYED AND WAS GUESTCONDUCTOR OF THE HATTIESBURG MISSISSIPPI CONCERT BAND, AND WAS BAND MANAGER OF the FOLK BAND - WILDWOOD FLOUR. JOHN SERVED AS A BAND AND ORCHESTRA ADJUDICATOR AND
CLINICIAN IN LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, TENNESSEE, MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA.
 

JOHN WAS AN ELDER IN THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WHERE HE SANG, DIRECTED CHURCH
CHOIRS FOR OVER 51 YEARS AND TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL.
 

HE IS REMEMBERED BY THOSE FORTUNATE TO HAVE KNOWN HIM AS TEACHER, PROFESSOR,
CONDUCTOR, BAND DIRECTOR, CHOIR DIRECTOR, MUSICIAN, ACTOR, HUSBAND, FATHER AND A
FAITHFUL SERVANT OF GOD AND OF GOOD.
 

TO CELEBRATE A LIFE WELL SPENT OF INTEGRITY AND THE VERY BEST QUALITIES OF A MAN, IT ALMOST
RISES ABOVE BEREAVEMENT AND LOSS. GOD HAS TRULY BLESSED US WITH HIS PRESENCE.
 

"WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I
WILL MAKE THEE RULER OVER MANY THINGS. ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THY LORD."
 

VISITATION IS SCHEDULED THURSDAY JUNE 23,2022 FROM 10:00 A.M. UNTIL 12:00 P.M. AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN BAY MINETTE, ALABAMA
WITH THE SERVICE OF RESURRECTION TO FOLLOW AT 12:00 P.M. GRAVESIDE WILL BE 1:30 P.M.  AT THE ALABAMA STATE
VETERANS CEMETARY ON HIGHWAY 225, SPANISH FORT, ALABAMA.  Pallbearers will be Micah Whiteside, Taylor Council, David Jenkins, JR., Chase Turner, Cameron Turner and Michael Jenkins.  Honorary Pallbearers are the members of the Heritage Sunday School Class at Bay Minette Presbyterian Church. Special friends Albert and Thelma Jaye and all his former students.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIALS CAN BE MADE TO FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, POST OFFICE BOX
1508, BAY MINETTE, ALABAMA 36507 (OR) CITY OF HATTIESBURG CONCERT BAND, C/O SHERMAN
HONG, 90 W. SHORE DRIVE, HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI 39402

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