Henry M. Jarrett

Henry M. Jarrett, 85, a resident of Cleveland, passed away Friday, July 8, 2011 at his residence. He was born on February 17, 1926 to the late James William and Anna Runion Jarrett. Henry was the third of twelve children. Henry's grandfather Jarrett gave him his nickname of "Cub" because he thought Henry looked like a cubby bear! Henry's dad and uncles made moonshine and he became a "wine taster" for customers at the age of six. In his early teens, Henry guarded five-gallon cans of moonshine for Robert (Hoby) Young. The movie "Thunder Road" was made after Young's life. When Henry was eighteen, his father was murdered - a case of mistaken identity. At age nineteen Henry was drafted into the United States Army and served during World War II. When he returned from the war, he and his oldest brother gave their paychecks to their mother to support all the younger children. Henry continued to do this until the age of twenty-three when he married Edna Vaughn Jarrett. Henry worked in the mines over ten years. At the age of 24, Henry became a Christian. After Henry's first wife died of cancer in February 1964, he married Modelle Keys in October 1965. Henry lived in West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and Tennessee. He retired from Roadway Express where he worked on the dock for many Ohio winters. He thought when he retired that everyone moved to Floridathat lasted three months. While living in Ohio, Henry was a very dedicated Christian man serving as deacon in his church, Heritage Baptist Church. Locally, he attended First Baptist Church and was considered by his friends and family as a great man of God who was dearly loved. In addition to his parents and first wife, Henry was preceded in death by two children from his first marriage that died soon after birth; and eight of his brothers and sisters. Henry is survived by his wife Modelle; six children, Sharon Gail, Kathy Rae, Robin Lynn, Dana Modelle, Douglas Lee, and Dawn Jodelle; twenty-one grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; two sisters, Violet Bricky and Clara Spraker; and one brother, Roger Jarrett. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Grissom Funeral Home with Rev. Lawrence Grandy officiating. Interment will follow at a later date. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 12-3 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service. The family requests that memorials be given to the First Baptist Church Library Fund, P. O. Box 2368, Cleveland, TN 37320. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit www.grissomfh.net.