Jerry Tate Felder

Jerry Felder, age 74, beloved husband, father and grandfather, went to be with our Lord on Sunday, July 7, 2013. Jerry Felder (U.S.A.F. Ret.) passed away. He served this great nation for more than thirty years. He served his community as a Lions Club Member, Freemason, and Shriner. He dedicated his life to serving others. After a long fight with a host of illnesses, it would be easy to say he lost his battle. I prefer to think that he won. He never let his illness defeat him. He will be missed. He was preceded in death by parents, Lauren "Lonnie" Felder and Thelma Tate Felder; and sister, Bonnie Montgomery. Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 47 years, Barbara Keegan Felder of Gulfport; his children, Vicki McArthur, David Felder (Lori), Debbie Gambill all of Gulfport and Kathy VanderKooy (Steve) of Ocean Springs; grandchildren Wesley McArthur (Ashley) of Lepanto Arkansas, Johnathan Gambill of Austin, Texas and Ashley and Aaron VanderKooy of Ocean Springs; his brothers Lauren Felder (Linda) of Bryant, Arkansas and Teddy Felder (Brenda) of Cabot, Arkansas. Jerry was born in Forrest City, AR, and grew up in West Helena, AR. After graduating High School in 1958, he went into the Navy, and served on a WWII Fletcher Class Destroyer (USS Sarsfield DD837) as a Radioman 3rd Class (Sparks). In 1963, he reentered the service (Air Force) for electronic training at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. He graduated in 1964 as a long range radar repair technician. He received a Masters Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. After 21 years in the US Air Force, he retired but returned to KAFB as a Civil Service instructor supervisor and curriculum developer. Jerry was a Vietnam veteran. Jerry was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Jerry was an active member of the Mississippi City Lions Club since 1973. He served as District Governor and received the Melvin Jones Fellow award. Jerry was a member of the Polar Star Masonic Lodge of Gulfport, Mississippi. Jerry was also a member of the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shriners, and Knights Templar. Jerry and Barbara loved to travel and have enjoyed cruises to Panama, Alaska, and the Caribbean. He enjoyed watching his son fly RC airplanes, attending his grandson's baseball games, and going to his granddaughter’s band concerts. He will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him. Visitation will be from 12:00-2:00 p.m., Thursday, July 11, 2013 at St. Peters by the Sea Episcopal Church, 19th St. Gulfport, MS. Funeral service will follow visitation at 2:00 p.m. at St. Peters Church. Interment will follow at Southern Memorial Park, Biloxi, MS. Officiating at his services will be Reverend Melanie Lemburg. Pallbearers will be son, David Felder; grandson, Wesley McArthur; brother, Lauren Felder ; son-in-law, Steve VanderKooy; brother-in-Law, Lee Keegan Jr. and nephew Lee Keegan III. Honorary pallbearers will be grandsons Johnathan Gambill and Aaron VanderKooy, and great nephews Austin and Brandon Knue, and Rusty Keegan and nephew, Steve Montgomery. Donations can be made to St. Peter's by the Sea Episcopal Church, 1912 East Beach Blvd, Gulfport, MS 39501. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com.