Sherman Jennings

Sherman David Jennings
August 6, 1938 - July 25, 2013
Sherman David Jennings husband, father, grandfather, friend to all, jokester, died on Thursday, July 25, 2013, leaving a huge void of laughter on this earth.
Born on August 6, 1938 in Memphis, TN, David loved to share stories about his days of growing up in one of the best cities in the South and being a Treadwell High School "rounder". The stories were bountiful of selling peanuts at the circus, hanging out at the local radio station, cruising at the local Krystal, and parties at Elvis' house which by the way were not fun if you were a single guy – all the girls were only interested in Elvis. He loved Memphis and the friends from his childhood were the friends by his side to the end.
Daddy also known as Papa Dave was a family man. He loved his family. Every phone call he'd start with "how's your family?" said with deep Memphis accent of course. He loved his daddy Walter Sherman Jennings deceased and mama Alma Erlene Rogers Memphis who raised him and his two brothers James Walter "Jimmy" Jennings deceased and Jack W. "Billy" Rogers, Jr. Memphis. And oh how he loved his brothers – he idolized his big brother Jimmy though Jimmy told on him for everything! And he doted on his little brother Billy, thinking of him as a son. He was blessed beyond belief to be lucky enough to marry Rebecca Lee Hale Hendersonville in 1965. He says it was his good looks that got her attention. For almost 48 years he got a great home cooked meal and morning cup of coffee from her. Together they had Kristina Lee Jennings Wait of Hendersonville. He taught her to be funny, grateful, loving, giving, and to never ever give up. He said the greatest gift she ever gave him was his grandson Elijah "Eli" Christopher Wait of Hendersonville. Eli was his best buddy. Every day they spent together. He was his trickster, sharing laughs, jokes, tricks – teaching him to fish, play chess, how to fry crappie. Together they watched movies and shared stories that they said mama can't know. If his greatest gift was his grandson, he least favorite was sending his daughter to Ole Miss and getting a Yankee for a son-in-law. But after 17 years of marriage, he said Brian Christopher Wait of Hendersonville was the greatest father and husband he could have hoped for and he knew his daughter's family was well taken care of.
He held close to his heart all of his nieces Kim Jennings-Eckert Rogers, AR, Sheri Jennings-Labriola Springdale, AR, Tracy Jennings Solomon Highlands Ranch, CO, Amber Rogers Moberly Hernando, MS, and Ashley Rogers who preceded him in death. He never could believe all his brothers had only girls! His sister-in-laws who joked with him and loved him are Mary Jane Jennings Rogers, AR and Terri Rogers Hernando, MS.
David was a passionate fisherman – not just any fish though and not just any lake. After retiring from his many successful years as a territory and sales manager at CUNA Mutual Group, when not at home in his Archie Bunker chair cursing at a Court TV show, he was on Kentucky Lake fishing for crappie. He always had the best fishing boat, and provided for many a family fish fry.
Perhaps as much as he loved fishing though he loved Vanderbilt and was an avid sports fan. He never missed a game and became a very proud Daddy when his daughter announced she would be going to Vanderbilt for graduate school.
He loved to laugh. And more importantly he loved to make others laugh. He entered a room with the purpose of making someone in it laugh. His legacy is the gift of laughter which he freely offered to everyone he encountered. If you are reading this, we hope that if you met him or knew him and ever laughed with him, you will take the gift of laughter he shared with you and pass it along, sharing it with others, allowing his legacy to live forever.
Visitation and Celebration of David's life "Happy Hour" will be held at Hendersonville Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, 353 Johnny Cash Parkway, Hendersonville on Sunday, July 29 2:00-6:00 pm and Monday, July 30 1:00-2:00 pm with a Service to Celebrate his life on Monday, July 31 at 2:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Memphis-MidSouth's Out of the Darkness Community Walk in memory of his niece Ashley Rogers. You may do so by visiting www.outofthedarkness.org and choosing participant Terri Rogers.
Finally, the family ask that you love, laugh and live each day full of life just as David, Dave, Papa Dave did so that his legacy may live forever.