Jerry Salley died Wednesday, November 23, 2005. He was born October 31, 1943 to the late Oscar E. and Edna Timbs Salley. He graduated from Delta State University, was involved in many aspects of education and administration at Coahoma Community College and Agriculture High School. After 27 years of working there, he retired as an Assistant to the President. After retiring Rev. Salley attended Memphis Theological Seminary graduating with a Master's Degree in Theology. He served as the Assistant Chaplain at Baptist Desoto in Southaven. In addition to ministry, he also traveled the country presenting "Jerry Salley as Mark Twain". In the past, he served as a Methodist minister in Friars Point, Lula and Longtown charges. He was currently serving as the minister of Sageville and Wesley United Methodist Churches in Mreidian, MS.
He leaves his wife, Peggy Chalk Salley of Meridian; daughters, Liza Salley of Columbus,and Carol Johnson Borgognoni of Lambert; sons, Christopher Lee Salley of Siloam Springs, AR and Carl Johnson of Oklahoma City, OK; brothers, Oscar E. Salley of Dallas, TX, and Danny Salley of TN; a sister, Edna Salley Jennings of AR; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Burial in Memorial Gardens in Clarksdale, MS.
Jerry had a great interest in Mark Twain that began when he was a child in Indianola and Clarksdale, MS. His parents loved to read and encouraged him to do so. He began reading at age 10 or 11 . His parents purchased a set of encyclopedias and with that purchase came a set of literature classics which Jerry kept into his adulthood. By the time he was in Jr. High School he had already completed all the books he would be required to read in high school. When he was at the library he would often be told the books he chose were too far ahead of the reading level of someone his age. He proved them wrong. His reading level was ahead of most others his age, but he did joke that his math were probably six grades behind.
Mr. Salley began to portray Mark Twain, quite by accident. A friend who was a librarian needed to put together a program for National Library Week. She asked Jerry to participate. He was reluctant, but finally agreed to read some poems. His friend didn't care for that idea and suggested that since he looked so much like Mark Twain to dress up as him and read something from his works. Jerry went along with it and was pleasantly surprised at the reception he received for his performance. He was approached by someone in the audience who asked him if he would perform at a school. From there he went on to perform in many places. His wife, Peggy, made him a while suit. Together they figured out the appropriate make up and hair coloring. Jerry began to not just read, but to memorize a lot of Twain.
Beginning in 1990 Jerry performed as Mark Twain more than 200 times for audiences of all ages from Cub Scouts to retirees. He performed everywhere from the Gulf Coast to Dallas to Branson, MO. In preparation for his role he read and reread all of Mark Twain's works and learned enough to have about six hours worth of material at hid disposal.
Jerry's original plan was to portray Twain full time after he retired from the school system, but God called him to another profession. He began attending Memphis Theological Seminary and played the part of Mark Twain just enough to pay his tuition. Jerry said he felt like Mark Twain was paying for him to go to the seminary and was either rolling over in his grave or laughing his fool head off.
Jerry said there were less than a dozen men who portray Mark Twain and that Hal Holbrook was the acknowledged master, but laughed as he added, "But they haven't seen me perform yet."
Mark Twain's timeless with is what inspired Mr. Salley to become Mark Twain. He felt that the act got better as time went by. Jerry said " I used to be Jerry Salley trying to portray Mark Twain, but now I'm Mark Twain trying to make an audience happy. It has made a difference in the way I perform and the way I see the character."
Mark Twain is a fascinating part of our American heritage. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 in Florida, MO and moved to Hannibal, MO at the age of 4. He received his public education there. He held various jobs that would later contribute to his writing, such as, type setter, steamboat pilot, newspaper reporter, silver miner and printer. He was also a volunteer soldier in the Confederate Calvary for a short time.
In 1862 he was a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, NV and began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain, a Mississippi River phrase meaning two fathoms deep, in 1863. In 1865, his story, " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" made him a national sensation.
Among Twain's most well known works are " The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "The Prince and The Pauper", and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. In later years he wrote less and made speeches more often.
He leaves his wife, Peggy Chalk Salley of Meridian; daughters, Liza Salley of Columbus,and Carol Johnson Borgognoni of Lambert; sons, Christopher Lee Salley of Siloam Springs, AR and Carl Johnson of Oklahoma City, OK; brothers, Oscar E. Salley of Dallas, TX, and Danny Salley of TN; a sister, Edna Salley Jennings of AR; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Burial in Memorial Gardens in Clarksdale, MS.
Jerry had a great interest in Mark Twain that began when he was a child in Indianola and Clarksdale, MS. His parents loved to read and encouraged him to do so. He began reading at age 10 or 11 . His parents purchased a set of encyclopedias and with that purchase came a set of literature classics which Jerry kept into his adulthood. By the time he was in Jr. High School he had already completed all the books he would be required to read in high school. When he was at the library he would often be told the books he chose were too far ahead of the reading level of someone his age. He proved them wrong. His reading level was ahead of most others his age, but he did joke that his math were probably six grades behind.
Mr. Salley began to portray Mark Twain, quite by accident. A friend who was a librarian needed to put together a program for National Library Week. She asked Jerry to participate. He was reluctant, but finally agreed to read some poems. His friend didn't care for that idea and suggested that since he looked so much like Mark Twain to dress up as him and read something from his works. Jerry went along with it and was pleasantly surprised at the reception he received for his performance. He was approached by someone in the audience who asked him if he would perform at a school. From there he went on to perform in many places. His wife, Peggy, made him a while suit. Together they figured out the appropriate make up and hair coloring. Jerry began to not just read, but to memorize a lot of Twain.
Beginning in 1990 Jerry performed as Mark Twain more than 200 times for audiences of all ages from Cub Scouts to retirees. He performed everywhere from the Gulf Coast to Dallas to Branson, MO. In preparation for his role he read and reread all of Mark Twain's works and learned enough to have about six hours worth of material at hid disposal.
Jerry's original plan was to portray Twain full time after he retired from the school system, but God called him to another profession. He began attending Memphis Theological Seminary and played the part of Mark Twain just enough to pay his tuition. Jerry said he felt like Mark Twain was paying for him to go to the seminary and was either rolling over in his grave or laughing his fool head off.
Jerry said there were less than a dozen men who portray Mark Twain and that Hal Holbrook was the acknowledged master, but laughed as he added, "But they haven't seen me perform yet."
Mark Twain's timeless with is what inspired Mr. Salley to become Mark Twain. He felt that the act got better as time went by. Jerry said " I used to be Jerry Salley trying to portray Mark Twain, but now I'm Mark Twain trying to make an audience happy. It has made a difference in the way I perform and the way I see the character."
Mark Twain is a fascinating part of our American heritage. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 in Florida, MO and moved to Hannibal, MO at the age of 4. He received his public education there. He held various jobs that would later contribute to his writing, such as, type setter, steamboat pilot, newspaper reporter, silver miner and printer. He was also a volunteer soldier in the Confederate Calvary for a short time.
In 1862 he was a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, NV and began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain, a Mississippi River phrase meaning two fathoms deep, in 1863. In 1865, his story, " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" made him a national sensation.
Among Twain's most well known works are " The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "The Prince and The Pauper", and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. In later years he wrote less and made speeches more often.
Jerry Salley died Wednesday, November 23, 2005. He was born October 31, 1943 to the late Oscar E. and Edna Timbs Salley. He graduated from Delta State University, was involved in many aspects of education and administration at Coahoma Community College and Agriculture High School. After 27 years of working there, he retired as an Assistant to the President. After retiring Rev. Salley attended Memphis Theological Seminary graduating with a Master's Degree in Theology. He served as the Assistant Chaplain at Baptist Desoto in Southaven. In addition to ministry, he also traveled the country presenting "Jerry Salley as Mark Twain". In the past, he served as a Methodist minister in Friars Point, Lula and Longtown charges. He was currently serving as the minister of Sageville and Wesley United Methodist Churches in Mreidian, MS.
He leaves his wife, Peggy Chalk Salley of Meridian; daughters, Liza Salley of Columbus,and Carol Johnson Borgognoni of Lambert; sons, Christopher Lee Salley of Siloam Springs, AR and Carl Johnson of Oklahoma City, OK; brothers, Oscar E. Salley of Dallas, TX, and Danny Salley of TN; a sister, Edna Salley Jennings of AR; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Burial in Memorial Gardens in Clarksdale, MS.
Jerry had a great interest in Mark Twain that began when he was a child in Indianola and Clarksdale, MS. His parents loved to read and encouraged him to do so. He began reading at age 10 or 11 . His parents purchased a set of encyclopedias and with that purchase came a set of literature classics which Jerry kept into his adulthood. By the time he was in Jr. High School he had already completed all the books he would be required to read in high school. When he was at the library he would often be told the books he chose were too far ahead of the reading level of someone his age. He proved them wrong. His reading level was ahead of most others his age, but he did joke that his math were probably six grades behind.
Mr. Salley began to portray Mark Twain, quite by accident. A friend who was a librarian needed to put together a program for National Library Week. She asked Jerry to participate. He was reluctant, but finally agreed to read some poems. His friend didn't care for that idea and suggested that since he looked so much like Mark Twain to dress up as him and read something from his works. Jerry went along with it and was pleasantly surprised at the reception he received for his performance. He was approached by someone in the audience who asked him if he would perform at a school. From there he went on to perform in many places. His wife, Peggy, made him a while suit. Together they figured out the appropriate make up and hair coloring. Jerry began to not just read, but to memorize a lot of Twain.
Beginning in 1990 Jerry performed as Mark Twain more than 200 times for audiences of all ages from Cub Scouts to retirees. He performed everywhere from the Gulf Coast to Dallas to Branson, MO. In preparation for his role he read and reread all of Mark Twain's works and learned enough to have about six hours worth of material at hid disposal.
Jerry's original plan was to portray Twain full time after he retired from the school system, but God called him to another profession. He began attending Memphis Theological Seminary and played the part of Mark Twain just enough to pay his tuition. Jerry said he felt like Mark Twain was paying for him to go to the seminary and was either rolling over in his grave or laughing his fool head off.
Jerry said there were less than a dozen men who portray Mark Twain and that Hal Holbrook was the acknowledged master, but laughed as he added, "But they haven't seen me perform yet."
Mark Twain's timeless with is what inspired Mr. Salley to become Mark Twain. He felt that the act got better as time went by. Jerry said " I used to be Jerry Salley trying to portray Mark Twain, but now I'm Mark Twain trying to make an audience happy. It has made a difference in the way I perform and the way I see the character."
Mark Twain is a fascinating part of our American heritage. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 in Florida, MO and moved to Hannibal, MO at the age of 4. He received his public education there. He held various jobs that would later contribute to his writing, such as, type setter, steamboat pilot, newspaper reporter, silver miner and printer. He was also a volunteer soldier in the Confederate Calvary for a short time.
In 1862 he was a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, NV and began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain, a Mississippi River phrase meaning two fathoms deep, in 1863. In 1865, his story, " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" made him a national sensation.
Among Twain's most well known works are " The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "The Prince and The Pauper", and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. In later years he wrote less and made speeches more often.
He leaves his wife, Peggy Chalk Salley of Meridian; daughters, Liza Salley of Columbus,and Carol Johnson Borgognoni of Lambert; sons, Christopher Lee Salley of Siloam Springs, AR and Carl Johnson of Oklahoma City, OK; brothers, Oscar E. Salley of Dallas, TX, and Danny Salley of TN; a sister, Edna Salley Jennings of AR; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Burial in Memorial Gardens in Clarksdale, MS.
Jerry had a great interest in Mark Twain that began when he was a child in Indianola and Clarksdale, MS. His parents loved to read and encouraged him to do so. He began reading at age 10 or 11 . His parents purchased a set of encyclopedias and with that purchase came a set of literature classics which Jerry kept into his adulthood. By the time he was in Jr. High School he had already completed all the books he would be required to read in high school. When he was at the library he would often be told the books he chose were too far ahead of the reading level of someone his age. He proved them wrong. His reading level was ahead of most others his age, but he did joke that his math were probably six grades behind.
Mr. Salley began to portray Mark Twain, quite by accident. A friend who was a librarian needed to put together a program for National Library Week. She asked Jerry to participate. He was reluctant, but finally agreed to read some poems. His friend didn't care for that idea and suggested that since he looked so much like Mark Twain to dress up as him and read something from his works. Jerry went along with it and was pleasantly surprised at the reception he received for his performance. He was approached by someone in the audience who asked him if he would perform at a school. From there he went on to perform in many places. His wife, Peggy, made him a while suit. Together they figured out the appropriate make up and hair coloring. Jerry began to not just read, but to memorize a lot of Twain.
Beginning in 1990 Jerry performed as Mark Twain more than 200 times for audiences of all ages from Cub Scouts to retirees. He performed everywhere from the Gulf Coast to Dallas to Branson, MO. In preparation for his role he read and reread all of Mark Twain's works and learned enough to have about six hours worth of material at hid disposal.
Jerry's original plan was to portray Twain full time after he retired from the school system, but God called him to another profession. He began attending Memphis Theological Seminary and played the part of Mark Twain just enough to pay his tuition. Jerry said he felt like Mark Twain was paying for him to go to the seminary and was either rolling over in his grave or laughing his fool head off.
Jerry said there were less than a dozen men who portray Mark Twain and that Hal Holbrook was the acknowledged master, but laughed as he added, "But they haven't seen me perform yet."
Mark Twain's timeless with is what inspired Mr. Salley to become Mark Twain. He felt that the act got better as time went by. Jerry said " I used to be Jerry Salley trying to portray Mark Twain, but now I'm Mark Twain trying to make an audience happy. It has made a difference in the way I perform and the way I see the character."
Mark Twain is a fascinating part of our American heritage. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 in Florida, MO and moved to Hannibal, MO at the age of 4. He received his public education there. He held various jobs that would later contribute to his writing, such as, type setter, steamboat pilot, newspaper reporter, silver miner and printer. He was also a volunteer soldier in the Confederate Calvary for a short time.
In 1862 he was a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, NV and began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain, a Mississippi River phrase meaning two fathoms deep, in 1863. In 1865, his story, " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" made him a national sensation.
Among Twain's most well known works are " The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", "The Prince and The Pauper", and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. In later years he wrote less and made speeches more often.
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