Jerlee S Ottinger Obituary (1932 - 2015)

Jerlee Ottinger, age 84, went to be with the Lord on September 27, 2015. Preceded in death by: Husband of 49 years: J.B Ottinger Parents: Lydia & Otis Chandley Survived by: 1 sister: Agnes Smith; 3 daughters and sons-in-law: Gayle & Toddy Laws, Connie Gaby and Rebecca & Bill Cutshaw; 7 Grandchildren: Guss Laws, Joshua Smith, Matthew Smith, Rebekah Hawkins, Ceth Smith, Ben Gaby and Hilary Porta; 11 Great- Grandchildren: Ashlyn Renner-Laws, Ethan House, Liam Hawkins, Lillian Hawkins, Khloe Laws, Abby Smith, Knox Laws, Delilah Gaby, Daphne Smith, Hampton Porta and Graham Porta; Sister-in-law: Louise Wright; Special Nieces and nephews: Betty Hartman, Ralph Smith, Harold Ottinger, Eddie Ottinger, Jackie Ottinger, Sherry Cobble, Ronnie Morrison and Bucky Wright Whether intentional or unintentional the following verse is descriptive of the life of Jerlee Ottinger. Matt. 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Her life has been a reflection of Jesus Christ to everyone around her, beginning in her family, her church, her community, and extending to her heart home, Haiti. Jerlee was committed to giving and to helping those in need. Beginning with her own family, she loved unconditionally and was loved beyond measure and will be deeply missed. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who guided her family through life's many trials with a perseverance and tenacity that will never be forgotten. She was always ready to "go" and loved to travel, leaving her traveling buddies with many wonderful memories. Her table was a place where many shared her love and her wonderful cooking, from family to friends, to those who simply needed a helping hand. She was a great believer in education and many young people her encouragement, guidance and financial assistance. She modeled Matthew 25 through love to her dear family and friends. Jerlee was involved in many areas of ministry to Greeneville and Greene County. She was actively involved in the local food pantry as she encouraged her church family at First Church of God to be involved in monthly food donations. She was responsible to support the Woodcutters Ministry in Greeneville through cooking monthly meals, including breakfast and lunch, on the days the group worked. She worked tirelessly through the Camp Creek tornado feeding, cooking and providing for those who had lost everything. She encouraged her church family and community to be a part of many opportunities to provide physical necessities, thus teaching those around her the value of biblical giving. She was also a tireless worker for the Lord in the local church setting as through the years she worked in many areas of church ministry including teaching children, nursery, working with women, cleaning, funeral dinners and serving in whatever capacity she was needed. She loved her church and her community with a Matthew 25 love. In 2012, Jerlee received the Blanche W. Grady Award for outstanding volunteer service to her community. True to her faith and love for others, she took her award and chose to help the children of western Greene County and "Feed the Children" was born. Due to Jerlee's efforts, for the past two Christmas/New Year's school recesses, children on reduced or free lunches in the western part of the community have received supplemental food items in an attempt to assure food-stable homes during the holidays. Even as her health failed this spring, she helped with a "Kentucky Derby Day" fund-raiser that benefited young people who were out of school, providing summer meals. This program provided food for over 600 children in Greeneville and Greene County during the summer months. Her Matthew 25 heart for children has always been strong. In 1999 Jerlee went on a mission trip to Haiti with a group from her church. She was not a stranger to mission trips, but this one was different as she felt the "call of God" on her life to make a difference in this country, and especially for the orphanage where Jamaican missionary Phyllis Newby labored. Returning to Greeneville, Jerlee began collecting clothes, food and medicines to ship to Haiti. She collected old suitcases and totes to use for transporting the items she received. She began to travel regularly to Haiti, taking with her provisions to meet the needs of Phyllis, the orphanage, the community and churches, and even the local prison. In 2009 she became a charter member of the board of directors for the newly formed Heart, Hands and Hope for Haiti non-profit organization (HHH). Since her first trip to Haiti 16 years ago, "Grammie J", as she is affectionately known, has been driven by a passion to provide all that she could for the people there and especially for the orphanage. She has overseen the collecting, packing and transport of countless semi-trailers from here to Boone, NC, the HHH headquarters, where they were then filled to capacity and shipped to Haiti by longtime friend and "partner in Haiti" Rick Coffey. Jerlee has been responsible for the shipping of a multiplicity of items: food, clothing, medicines, building supplies, home supplies, items for many types of repairs, church supplies, provisions for pastors and their families, village meals, school supplies, school uniforms, and Christmas gifts for the entire orphanage and staff, to name a few. Haiti became her heart home. She lived out His Matthew 25 command through her love for Haiti. The Celebration of Life will be Thursday October 1 at 7:00p.m. in the First Church of God sanctuary preceded by "The Gathering of Friends" from 5:00-6:45p.m. in the Family Life Center, 1505 West Main Street, Greeneville, TN. Cookies and punch will be provided by the family to enjoy while reminiscing. This time to gather prior to the Celebration of Life is open to the public and in lieu of formal visitation. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to one of the following or a charity of the donor's choice. Hearts, Hands, and Hope for Haiti, Inc. P.O. Box 1045 Blowing Rock, NC 28605 First Church of God Building Fund 1505 West Main Street Greeneville, TN 37743 To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Jerlee S Ottinger, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. print Print Obituary