Jerry was a cheerful servant who wanted nothing more than to help others achieve their goals and aspirations. Wisdom and intuition were Jerry’s superpowers, and he put those to use by recognizing and responding to the needs of those he encountered.

Jerry was born in the small north Texas town of Whitesboro, Texas to Jennie Grace Earnhart and Shelby Eugene Alexander. He was the fourth of five children and often talked about his childhood memories as part of a tightknit pack of kids and going to Lake Texoma in the summers. Jerry was active in athletics throughout middle and high school with a special affinity for basketball.

Jerry attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Teaching. Later he completed a Master’s degree in Counseling. After four years in rural public-school classrooms, he made the leap to higher education when he accepted a position at the University of Texas at Tyler where he led the Career Services Center. He spent the rest of his career serving students in the university setting in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Dallas, and San Antonio. He concluded his career when he retired from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2021 after fourteen years of service. He will forever be rooting for all his former students.

Jerry was the epitome of an adoring and doting husband and father to Jana and Hannah. In addition to his unequivocal love for his girls, he cherished all of the many dog children that passed through his life over the years. Jerry loved travel, reading, talking, French fries, movies, and most of all, people. One of his greatest late life joys was singing in the choir at Memorial United Methodist Church in Austin.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Jennie Alexander; his brother, Bobby Alexander; his sister, Sharion Acker; and a slew of beloved pets. He is survived by his wife and daughter, Jana and Hannah, and two sisters, Marilyn Meals and Susie Meals.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to:

--Christ's Foundry, online at www.fdcdallas.org/give or mail a check to Christ’s Foundry UMM, PO Box 29126, Dallas, TX 75229; 

--UTD First Generation Student Programs: https://giving.utdallas.edu/firstgen?fbclid=IwY2xjawEu3HpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHct6TGH0pu5GRv7TbWFA5wg3BRGGRhKr7O3L87pX3o1UaCvzdu9y_ZoPkA_aem_hOElRRSZoA_ElVFQ2N0JXg

--UTD Undergraduate Success Scholars: https://giving.utdallas.edu/uss?fbclid=IwY2xjawEu3elleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRZbDvmgjWYxAE6rTr79N6l8bRXQHXBkUN-AFRAj99PsmsSLLkzBOucyQw_aem_5M3E8zT8qWmFVoJI-1OIRg

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