Ben Wall Jernigan, 88, of Sweetwater, died Sunday, January 17, 2016 at his home. He was born in Shellman, Ga. on March 24, 1927 to Donnie Wall Jernigan and Willie Jernigan. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Cleo Jernigan Taylor and a brother Donnie Eugene Jernigan. He served in the U.S. Army where he was a member of General Douglas MacArthur's Honor Guard in occupied Japan. After his military service he attended the University of Georgia on the G.I. Bill, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Upon graduation in 1949 he began his business career with Chevrolet Motor Division where he worked for 20 years before leaving to become a Chevrolet Dealer. He was owner of Ben Jernigan Chevrolet in Sweetwater for many years. He was part of the Sweetwater business community where he served as a Kiwanis member, VFW member and former Sweetwater Valley Bank Board member. He was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Athens, where he had served as a member of the Vestry.
Ben is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Estella McDowell Jernigan. They spent many happy hours in retirement traveling the world together. Besides his wife, Ben is survived by three children, Ben (Cindy) of Atlanta, Ga, Clark (Celia) of Greenville, SC, and Jane (Bob) Bouton of Greenville, SC; niece, Tracy Taylor Tocci of Ridgewood, NJ; a nephew, William Taylor. Ben was the loving grandfather of six grandchildren, Cameron, Clark Elliott, Katherine, and Riley Jernigan, and Lizzy and Ben Wall Jernigan, III.
The family will receive friends January 23rd at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Athens, TN at 10:00 am with a service following at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sweetwater Library Foundation, 210 Mayes Avenue, Sweetwater, TN 37874 or Cancer Society of Greenville County, 113 Mills Avenue, Greenville, SC 29605.

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