Jerry was born on February 26, 1982, to Jerry & Dell King Howard in Kinston, NC. Jerry graduated from South Lenoir High School in the class of 2000. He received an athletic scholarship for baseball and went on to play for the Lenoir Community College Lancers.
In 2002, Jerry married his high school sweetheart, Kara, and went on to have three children, Jon Andrew, Gracie, & Jake. Jerry was employed by F & A Logging out of Trenton & spent his days there driving an excavator & loading truck in the woods he had come to love.
Jerry, known to most as L’il Jerry even though there was nothing small about his stature, was an avid lover of the outdoors & enjoyed all things hunting and fishing. He spent a lot of time in the woods teaching his sons the ins and outs of hunting deer and game. He could often be spotted headed down to the creek by his parent’s house with a fishing pole and some worms to spend the day. Jerry’s first love, after family, was always baseball. He lived and breathed baseball for many years. He was well known for his ability with a bat, starring on the South Lenoir Blue Devils team, slugging out numerous home runs & Grand Slams. “HogHead” was cheered on by many fans as he walked up to home plate to the tune of “Wild Thing.” Jerry was a member of many different coed softball teams and went on to coach and assist many Little League teams, as his love for the game was never ending. He was very proud of his children for their superior baseball/softball talents and being avid players themselves.
Jerry spent his life looking up to his daddy, Jerry Sr., and spent many days working with him and learning the tools of the trade of vinyl siding & plumbing. Though not very interested in learning from books, he was eager to learn & do anything hands on. He loved his Mama, Dell, to no end as she has always been his biggest supporter. Jerry’s life was not without struggle and trials, but his heart was big, and he will be remembered by his many friends and family as a loving, generous, and giving soul. His big smile and silly laugh were contagious, and his big bear hugs were one of a kind.
Jerry was preceded in death by his father Jerry Andrew Howard Sr.; grandparents Rachel Holland King Johnson of Pink Hill, Cecil King of Deep Run, Theodore & Hilda Howard of Kinston, and Frank Johnson of Pink Hill; cousins Caroline Howard of Deep Run and Adam Howard of Deep Run. He is survived by his children, Jon Andrew, Gracie, and Jacob Howard and their mother Kara Whaley Howard of Kinston; his mother Dell King Howard of Pink Hill; sisters Juanita Gray Pittman(Joseph) of Pink Hill and Christy Howard Gates of Kinston; other brother & sisters, Michelle King Howard of Deep Run, Jason Gray(Crystal) of Richlands and Angie Sholar(Scotty) of Chinquapin; nieces and nephew Vanessa Biscardi(Donny) of Selma, Ray Futrell(Miranda) & children Brylee, Braylen, & Harrison of Kinston, Danielle Futrell and son Kenlee of Pink Hill, and Keely Gates(Cody) of Kinston and many other special aunts, uncles, cousins, & friends.
Graveside service will be 1:00 pm on Sunday, December 11, 2022, at Pleasant Hill Christian Church, 4306 East Pleasant Hill Rd, Pink Hill NC 28572.