Rev. Jay Linville Perry, 90, of Lewisburg, Tennessee, died Thursday, February 6, 2003, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville.

Services were Saturday, February 8, at First Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg, at 2:00 p.m. Dr. John Skelly, Rev. Claude McMillion and Rev. Willard Hulburt officiated. A selection of hymns were offered by Mrs. Annette Lawrie, with soloist Annette Smith presenting The Lord's Prayer. Interment followed at Temple Cemetery. Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home had charge.

A native of Roan Mountain, TN, and son of the late Arthur M. and Myrtle G. Perry, he made a profession of faith at age 12 in 1924, and continued to serve his Lord until his death, ministering to churches in Mason, Stanton and Hebron, TN (1939-1943), Lewisburg, TN (1943-1957), Marks (1957-1970), and Lawrenceburg, TN (1970-1978). Upon retirement in 1978, he returned to Lewisburg and continued to serve churches as interim pastor in Mt. Pleasant and elsewhere._

He graduated from King College in Bristol, TN in 1935 with a bachelor's degree. In the fall of 1936, after serving for a year as principal of the Upper Shell Creek Elementary School, he began work on his masters of divinity degree at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, which was completed in 1939. On June 11, 1951, he married the former Myrta V. Tennison of Lewisburg.

He is survived by his wife, Myrta T. Perry; two daughters, Myra Perry (Finny) Edwards of Shelbyville, TN and Sandra Perry (Ed) Palmer of Oneonta, AL; two brothers, Dale Perry of Gray, TN and Astor Perry of Raleigh, NC; and five grandchildren, Jonathan (Greyson) Billingham, Jennifer Edwards, Julie Edwards, Perry Bolding, and Faith Palmer.

Bearing him to his place of rest were family and friends, Jonathan Billingham, Perry Bolding, John Hursh, Bill Turner, Bill Petty, Carroll Wiggins, and Paul Ivey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, Town Square, Lewisburg, TN 37091.

Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home and the U. S. Forest Service have provided for the planting of a tree in memory of Rev. Perry.

Reflecting on his years of life and ministry, Rev. Perry wrote, "As I look back over my ministry of over 50 years, I am deeply grateful to God for His many and varied blessings and feel that under His leadership and guidance I have been used for His honor and glory. I have no plans to stop preaching...as long as I am physically and emotionally able. God willing, I hope to be useful to the end."

Quitman County Democrat, February 13, 2003

Rev. Jay Linville Perry, 90, of Lewisburg, Tennessee, died Thursday, February 6, 2003, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville.

Services were Saturday, February 8, at First Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg, at 2:00 p.m. Dr. John Skelly, Rev. Claude McMillion and Rev. Willard Hulburt officiated. A selection of hymns were offered by Mrs. Annette Lawrie, with soloist Annette Smith presenting The Lord's Prayer. Interment followed at Temple Cemetery. Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home had charge.

A native of Roan Mountain, TN, and son of the late Arthur M. and Myrtle G. Perry, he made a profession of faith at age 12 in 1924, and continued to serve his Lord until his death, ministering to churches in Mason, Stanton and Hebron, TN (1939-1943), Lewisburg, TN (1943-1957), Marks (1957-1970), and Lawrenceburg, TN (1970-1978). Upon retirement in 1978, he returned to Lewisburg and continued to serve churches as interim pastor in Mt. Pleasant and elsewhere._

He graduated from King College in Bristol, TN in 1935 with a bachelor's degree. In the fall of 1936, after serving for a year as principal of the Upper Shell Creek Elementary School, he began work on his masters of divinity degree at Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, which was completed in 1939. On June 11, 1951, he married the former Myrta V. Tennison of Lewisburg.

He is survived by his wife, Myrta T. Perry; two daughters, Myra Perry (Finny) Edwards of Shelbyville, TN and Sandra Perry (Ed) Palmer of Oneonta, AL; two brothers, Dale Perry of Gray, TN and Astor Perry of Raleigh, NC; and five grandchildren, Jonathan (Greyson) Billingham, Jennifer Edwards, Julie Edwards, Perry Bolding, and Faith Palmer.

Bearing him to his place of rest were family and friends, Jonathan Billingham, Perry Bolding, John Hursh, Bill Turner, Bill Petty, Carroll Wiggins, and Paul Ivey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, Town Square, Lewisburg, TN 37091.

Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home and the U. S. Forest Service have provided for the planting of a tree in memory of Rev. Perry.

Reflecting on his years of life and ministry, Rev. Perry wrote, "As I look back over my ministry of over 50 years, I am deeply grateful to God for His many and varied blessings and feel that under His leadership and guidance I have been used for His honor and glory. I have no plans to stop preaching...as long as I am physically and emotionally able. God willing, I hope to be useful to the end."

Quitman County Democrat, February 13, 2003