Kings Mountain, NC – Dr. Jerry Lee Eskridge of Kings Mountain, NC died peacefully at Robin House Hospice in Gastonia on February 13th, 2022. He was 83. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Herman Eskridge; his mother, Mabel Irene Eskridge; his sister Myra Eskridge Morrison, and brother-in-law, Carl Lee Morrison, Jr.
Jerry was born on February 7th, 1939 in Toluca, North Carolina at Edwards Clinic. He had one sister, Myra Eskridge Morrison. Jerry grew up in Double Shoals, NC. In grade school Jerry quickly formed a lifelong friendship with close friends loosely dubbed “The Gang”. As adults with families, they held annual reunions, Christmas celebrations, and beach trips.
He attended Shelby High School playing both basketball and football. He graduated in 1957. Jerry attended UNC Chapel Hill and earned his undergrad in Industrial Relations. After college he enlisted and served two years in the U.S. Army. Jerry and his future wife, Lynn, met up on a summer beach trip and started to date in 1960. He was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. While on weekend leave, Jerry would often hitchhike to Greensboro to spend time with Lynn who was attending Women’s College of Greensboro. He and Lynn married on March 28th, 1965.
After two years of managing at Fiber Industries, Jerry felt a calling to care for animals. Dr. Ted Westmoreland mentored and encouraged Jerry to go to vet school. He attended NC State University to earn his Pre-Med degree in 1971. Jerry then attended the University of Georgia in Athens to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1975. Under the encouragement of his mentor, Jerry opened his own veterinary practice in nearby Kings Mountain in 1977.
Dr. Eskridge practiced veterinary medicine for over 40 years at his own practice, Kings Mountain Animal Hospital. He cared for countless animals for the entire community with a warm heart for cold noses.
Along with an affinity for animals, he was a lifelong UNC Tarheel fan. Jerry adored college basketball and never missed a single ball game. His sense of humor was second to none as he loved cracking clever jokes and making others laugh. For decades he played tennis with friends weekly and attended a few US Opens. When he wasn’t working 6 days a week, he would take Sunday drives in his 1974 Triumph TR6 or as he called it, “little red car”. An avid reader and lover of history, Jerry was a virtual encyclopedia on World War II, naming off random battles and skirmishes. He had a passion for sailing, and although time rarely permitted, his good friend G.K. Howard encouraged him to come along on many sailing trips in the Virgin Islands.
Jerry was a member of Kings Mountain Rotary Club since 1977. He participated in their backpack program that began 10 years ago. It has fed 350,500 children locally. Jerry was also a member of First Presbyterian Church of Kings Mountain.
The most important thing to him was family and their well-being. After family get togethers, he wouldn’t rest easy until all of his adult kids had made it to their respective homes safely. Extremely generous, one of his favorite sayings was “We’re all in this together.” He loved spending time with his family, stating, “It doesn’t matter where we go, as long as we are together.” At family gatherings he thoroughly enjoyed listening to his family play songs on guitar, piano, and fiddle.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lynn, one daughter, Elizabeth Eskridge of Wendell, NC, two sons, Rame Eskridge and Will Eskridge, a daughter-in-law, Marie Eskridge, one grandson, Doc Wolfgang Eskridge of Athens, GA, and his dog, Mattie.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm March 26, 2022 at the Chapel of Cecil M. Burton Funeral Home & Crematory.
The family will receive friends following the service. A private interment was held at Sunset Cemetery in Shelby.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial donations to Children’s Homes of Cleveland County
www.chccinc.org, Cleveland County Animal Services,
www.clevelandcountypets.org, or Robin Johnson House,
www.gastonhospice.orgOnline condolences may be made at
www.cecilmburtonfuneralhome.comCecil M. Burton Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family.