Jerry Tyrone Blackburn Sr.

Jerry Tyrone Blackburn, Sr. passed away on Friday, June 26, 2026, at St. Vincent’s Riverside Hospital in Jacksonville, a few weeks after his 78th birthday.

Jerry was born on Wednesday, June 9, 1948, at Telfair Women’s Hospital in Savannah, to Corrie Holmes Blackburn, Jr. and Mary Dartheal (Crosby) Blackburn. His parents gave him the middle name Tyrone in honor of one of Hollywood’s most loved swordsmen, Tyrone Power.

When Jerry was 4 ½ years old, his family moved from a duplex on Crossgate Road to a home on the 200 block of Aberfeldy Street. This yellow house in Port Wentworth would be the epicenter of family gatherings for the next half a century.

Jerry often reminisced about growing up in the old neighborhoods and recounted with humor and fondness stories about their former neighbors. He was able to walk to school at the old Port Wentworth Elementary, attended junior high at the old Mercer Middle School, and graduated from the old Robert W. Groves High School in 1966.

Jerry loved music, especially old country and rock, and was a singer, guitarist, and organist. In 1968, he joined a band called Marque Thyme and played lead guitar on his red electric Rickenbacker. The memories he made while playing with the band lasted a lifetime, and he would often tell of these times with great pride. He later applied his vocal talents by singing in the choir at Morningside Baptist Church in Savannah.

He went to work at Grumman Aerospace Corporation, where he met Lynn Stephens Cowart. Jerry and Lynn were soon married, and he became a stepfather to her three children. In 1973, he was blessed by the birth of his only child, his son and namesake, Jerry, Jr., who was affectionately nicknamed JJ. Even though JJ was his only child, Jerry treated and loved all as if they were his own. He had a way with people, was patient and compassionate, and always knew what to say to make someone feel better.

After working at Grumman for several years, Jerry moved on to work in the trucking and shipping industry. He worked as a dispatcher for many construction and transportation companies until his retirement in 2008. He understood the logistics of the trucking industry and was trusted by many in the profession. Even after moving to Jacksonville in 1994, he kept his position in Savannah, staying with his parents in Port Wentworth during the week and driving home to Jacksonville on the weekends.

Jerry loved cars and really enjoyed working on them. When his brother Larry opened a service station in Savannah in the early 1970s, he helped on weekends by changing oil and doing minor mechanic work. One of his favorite pastimes was to get on the road and just go for a drive.

He was an animal lover: from the cats that he had as a child to the little dogs that were his constant companions in adulthood. He greatly missed his two chihuahuas, Rudy and Bandit, and kept their ashes on the mantle in his home.

Though he had several health concerns in his later years, he worked tirelessly to maintain a healthy diet. He worked diligently in his garden, exercised, and strove to live a full and happy life. He was a believer who spoke of his faith through his actions and often encouraged others in their prayer life. These traits drew others to him.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Corrie and Dartheal Blackburn, and his brother, Larry B. Blackburn, Sr. He is survived by his son, Jerry T. Blackburn, Jr. of Jacksonville, his brother, Charles W. Blackburn, Sr. of Savannah, his nieces, nephews, and cousins, and his many friends.

Jerry’s wishes were to be cremated with no formal services to be held.