Jerry Talley

Jerry Glen Talley, 87, met his Heavenly Father on Tuesday evening, January 7, 2025, after a long struggle with Lewy body and Alzheimer’s disease. He died peacefully surrounded by family and friends.

 Jerry was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on September 26, 1937, to Joseph Thurman Talley (Joe) and Earline Barnette Talley. They moved to Canton, Mississippi, when Jerry was young and he spent his childhood and teenage years in Canton where he attended Canton High School. In high school, Jerry sang in the choir, ensembles, and musicals. He discovered his beautiful baritone singing voice there and sang solos for church, school, and various clubs. His home church was Center Terrace Baptist where he was active in the music and youth activities. This musical background influenced him to enter Mississippi College as a freshman music education major with a vocal emphasis.

 It was at Mississippi College that he met his lifetime love and soulmate, Sarah Fortenberry, a piano major from Tylertown, Mississippi. They gave a joint recital and started dating in 1958. They were married on June 11, 1961.

 During Jerry’s college years, he led music in many summer youth revivals throughout Mississippi. He also served as a part-time music director at Roxie Baptist Church during his junior and senior years.

 In the Fall of 1961, Jerry entered New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He auditioned and was one of four chosen for the Master of Church Music degree in Choral Conducting. He graduated in August of 1963 and this began a lifetime of church music ministry with Sarah at his side who accompanied either on piano or organ.

 While in NOBTS, Jerry was called by Lakeview Baptist Church on Canal Boulevard, New Orleans, to be their Minister of Music and Youth. After graduating, he and Sarah moved to Senatobia, Mississippi, where he was Minister of Music and Youth at First Baptist Church of Senatobia. They served from 1963 until 1966 before being called to Oak Forest Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, as Minister of Music, Youth, and Activities.

 Jerry developed an outstanding choral program with choirs and ensembles for preschool through adults. Later in his ministry he became interested in handbells and added that program with older children, youth, and adult choirs. His youth and adult choirs participated in the state Baptist Handbell Festivals and always won superior ratings. Because of his outstanding work with handbell choirs, he was asked to be the Mississippi Baptist Convention Contract Consultant to plan and conduct festivals and leadership handbell events in the state. He served in that capacity for eighteen years while maintaining his Full Time Minister of Music position at Oak Forest Baptist Church in Jackson.

 Jerry was a founding member of the Mississippi Baptist Singing Churchman and was an active member for many years as they toured not only in Mississippi but also internationally.  After more than thirty-five years at Oak Forest Baptist Church, Jerry retired but continued his ministry by supplying in many Baptist churches in Mississippi. His longest interim was Salem Baptist Church in Learned, Mississippi.  Jerry loved people and that was the heart of his ministry.

 Jerry was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Earline Talley, his brother, Thad Talley, and sister-in-law, Harriette Talley of Summerville, South Carolina.

 Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Sarah Talley, children Glen Andrew Talley (Allison Alford Talley), Amy Talley Grenn (Trevor Grenn), and grandchildren Phillip and JoEllen Talley and Maddie and Carter Grenn, his sister Joann Talley Cooper (Walt), and brother Ken Talley (Linda), and many beloved nieces and nephews.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Jerry and Sarah Talley Scholarship Fund at the Mississippi Baptist Foundation, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, P.O. Box 530, Jackson, Mississippi 39205.

The family wants to extend love and appreciation to the caregivers at Riggs Manor in Raymond, Mississippi, and to the Orchard Memory Care and Nursing Home in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Thank for the many prayers of our church members and friends.