1st Lt. William Keith Jernigan, 35, beloved son of Bill and Toni Bishop Jernigan of Doraville, GA and beloved brother of Wade Jernigan of Arlington, VA passed away Monday, November 24th while serving in the US Army stationed in Baquba, Iraq. Lt. Jernigan was born November 16, 1972, in Atlanta. He attended DeKalb County Oak Grove and Evansdale Elementary Schools and graduated from Henderson High School in 1992. He attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC and graduated from Perimeter College in Atlanta. Keith returned from living in Canada after September 11, 2001 to join the Army. He graduated from Airborne School at Fort Bragg, NC in 2002 and Officer’s Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA in 2007. He received further training at Fort Huachuca, AZ and Fort Sill, OK. He was stationed at Fort Wainwright, AK at the time of his deployment to Iraq as a member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team 25th Infantry Division. Keith is survived by his aunt, Mary Bishop Hannah of Greenville, MS; aunt and uncle, Leila Jernigan and Dick Moeller of Oakwood, GA; cousins, Jamie Hannah of Batesville, MS; Audrey Hannah, Gary, Tyler, and Wesley Thompson of Franklin, TN; Helen Hannah of Nashville, TN; and Wendy Moeller of Smyrna, GA.. Keith was preceded in death by his Grandparents, Rev. and Mrs. Audie C. Bishop, who served in the North MS Methodist Conference and William and Ernestine Jernigan of White Plains, GA. Keith’s sense of adventure and humor as well as his love and acceptance of all people will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He had genuine care and concern for others; always offering a helping hand. Among many of his joys were scuba diving, fishing, hiking, writing, and world travel. One of his goals had been to visit each continent and he had accomplished North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Keith was a member of Embry Hills United Methodist Church where he served as an acolyte, a member of the youth choir, and President of the Methodist Youth. A Celebration of Keith’s Life will be held on Saturday, Dec.13 at 2:00 PM at Embry Hills United Methodist Church, 3304 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. Visitation with the family will be that day at the church from 12 Noon to 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Embry Hills UMC youth missions program; Aldersgate Homes, Inc. (a United Methodist facility), 4105 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30345; the ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) Association of GA, 1955 Cliff Valley Way NE, Suite 116, Atlanta, GA 30329. A. S. Turner & Sons
