BETTY MARIE EMERSON JERNIGAN

BETTY MARIE EMERSON JERNIGAN, resident of the Oakland Community and wife of the late Sammy Lee Jernigan, died at 2 P.M. Saturday June 7, 2008 at the Methodist Hospital of Fayette in Somerville where she was taken after becoming suddenly ill at her residence. She was 67 years of age and died unexpectedly.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Jernigan will be conducted at 3 P.M. Tuesday at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with the Rev. Rhesa Davis, Pastor of the Feathers Chapel Baptist Church, officiating. Interment will follow in the Oakland Cemetery. Arrangements are provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home-West Chapel of Oakland.

A native of Oxford, Mississippi, Mrs. Jernigan was born March 4, 1941, the daughter of the late Otis Emerson and the late Virginia Mae Gillispie Emerson. She moved to Memphis at an early age with her family and was educated in the Shelby County Public School system where she graduated from the Humes High School.

She was married June 6, 1959 to Sammy Lee Jernigan who died June 13, 2004. She assisted her husband in the operation of their business before his death. Mrs. Jernigan had been a resident of the Oakland Community since 1976 and was a member of the Hickory Withe First Baptist Church. She served as a Supervisor for the Malone & Hyde Company in Memphis before her retirement.

She was an active member of her community, participating in numerous events that included the Oakland Annual Parade, Oakland Sr. Bingo Group and attending Karate events with a grandson. Mrs. Jernigan also enjoyed crocheting, fishing and dancing as long as health permitted.

She was devoted to caring for her family and was a loving mother and grandmother.

She is survived by two daughters, Brenda M. Tate (Jeff) of Williston and Sandra L. Hood (Benny) of Oakland; her son Donnie H. Jernigan of Oakland; 2 brothers, Otis Emerson of Tiptonville, TN and Clifford Clark, Jr. of Hickory Withe and six grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Kristen Nicole Hood.

Those honored to serve as casketbearers were Mike Wainscott, Bobby Riles, Lane McDowell, Steve Hester, Keith Jernigan, Cecil Cannon, Jr., Myles Leifer and Ronnie Harris.

Honorary casketbearers were Curtis Tate, Timothy Hood, Tyler Hood, Brandon Tate and Benjamin Hood.

The family request that Memorials be directed to the Fayette County Chapter of the American Heart Association (1-800-242-8721).