Jerry Ronald Balentine

Jerry R. Balentine was born May 23, 1945 in Baxter Springs, Kansas. He was the son of Luther and Grace Norene Balentine. Jerry moved at a very early age to Hominy with his mother, where he was raised and attended school.

Shortly after completion of his education, Jerry enlisted into the service of his country in the United States Navy. He served honorably during the Vietnam Conflict and returned to Hominy after being discharged on July 1, 1966. Jerry was married to Shirley Jean Young on December 16, 1966 in Cleveland, Oklahoma. The couple made their home in Hominy and had raised three children, Ronnie, Jerry and LaDonna.

In January of 1967, Jerry accepted employment as a welder's helper, burn technician and warehouseman for C. E. NATCO. Upon the closure of C. E NATCO, Jerry began working as a warehouseman and inventory clerk for the Oklahoma State Department of Corrections at the R. B. Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy. He continued to work at the prison until for heath reasons retired in June of 2003.

Jerry was a member of the First Baptist Church in Hominy. His hobbies included hunting and playing pool. He was an avid Hominy Buck supporter and loved to watch both football and baseball. He was a former little league baseball and softball coach in Hominy. He enjoyed both college and professional football and was an Oklahoma Sooner at heart. It was often said his favorite professional footbal team was anyone that was playing the Dallas Cowboys. He was also a member of the American Legion, Post 142 in Hominy.

Jerry passed away on Sunday, November 30, 2003 at the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa at the age of fifty-eight years, six months and seven days. He was preceded in death by his mother, Grace Balentine Rowe and a sister, L'Berta Peaches Whitten.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Jean Balentine of the home; son and his wife, Ronald Wayne and Bonnie Balentine of Hominy; son, Jerry Dean Balentine of Hominy; a daughter and her husband, LaDonna Lynn Vanzant and Chris Stewart of Mustang, Oklahoma; two grandchidlren, Brye Norlynn Vazant and R. J. Vanzant, both of Mustang, Oklahoma; two brothers and their wives, Luther Gene and Marianna Balentine of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Gary Lee and Pam Balentine of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; sister and her husband, Donna Raye and Ray Montgomery; sister, Jewledene Branstetter of Wynona, Oklahoma; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Nora and Dean Estes of Cleveland; and a brother-in-law, Wayne Young of Cleveland, Oklahoma.

Graveside funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, December 3, 2003 at the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland with Wayne Brown officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

Visit and online obituary and guestbook for Jerry Balentine at www.chapman-black.com.