Jerry Lee Stansbury, age 84, passed away at the Baptist Health Hospital in Richmond, Kentucky on April 6, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. He was born, July 21, 1941 in Portland, IN to J.C. Stansbury and Betty Eileen (Prouty) Stansbury. He had two younger sisters, Diana (husband James Nichols) and Linda (husband Gary Wentz). Jerry had a host of nieces, nephews, and relatives that he greatly loved to hear from in Indiana, Ohio, and other states as well. He enjoyed family reunions and gatherings with them when he was able to attend. Jerry loved discovering what they were doing and how their lives were changing.
He is survived by his wife Karen Ruth (Mays) Stansbury for 25 ½ years. They resided on Sipple Ridge in Beattyville. He loved to plow the garden or help Ruth in those odd jobs that she volunteered him for. He enjoyed encouraging her in the Lord and giving her time to study God’s Word. He looked forward to serving the Lord and attending church weekly. Whenever Jerry wasn’t there, you can say that he was sick. He loved praying for his friends, family, and even the people that he was barely acquainted with. In his latter days when he couldn’t get out and about, he spent much time praying for Israel, the sick, the neighbors, those in need, his own family, and the families in the church. He loved encouraging young people starting out in the ministry and loved attending Wednesday Night Services at Hopewell when he could. Jerry had served in the military in California for basic training and Alaska for a total of 3 years. He said that that was where he learned to occupy his time wisely.
He was a teacher for 30 years in several elementary and middle schools in Indiana prior to coming to Kentucky. He loved interacting with children and watching them grow up and becoming good citizens. Jerry raised sheep his whole life until about the last 8 years of his life and wasn’t able. He would travel to the barn as much as 4 to 6 times throughout the day and night during lambing season, in the dead of winter, to check on the ewes having their lambs. He loved calling and shepherding the sheep throughout their different stages. When Jerry first came to Kentucky, he was on the Bear Track Fire Department and enjoyed training for the fire department. However, he probably went to more trainings than fires altogether. But he enjoyed learning from and about all the other firemen and their vast experiences.
Jerry was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Eileen (Prouty) Stansbury, his father J.C. Stansbury, first wife Virginia Ann (McVay) Stansbury, sister Diana Nichols, brothers-in-law Gary Wentz and Eddie Ray Mays, Uncle Harold and Aunt Ruth Prouty, nephew Nick Parker, and niece Shelia Wentz.
Services held April 10, 2026 at Newnam Funeral Home of Beattyville. Burial in Haven of Rest Cemetery of Lee Co. Newnam in charge of arrangements.
