Jerry Wayne “Red” McMahon, Sr.

B. in Hattiesburg MS on April 19, 1947 D. in Morton MS on July 12, 2026 Aged 79 years

Jerry “Red” McMahon was born on April 19, 1947, at the old Methodist Hospital in downtown Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to William Ray “Papa” McMahon and Dolly Corrine “Granny” Kitchens.He was the youngest of seven siblings born to Papa Ray and Granny, who named him “Jerry Wayne” after the actor John Wayne.

In 1951, at the age of four, Papa Ray and Granny moved the family to Lumberton, where Papa Ray worked the pecan fields and took care of the cattle at the Bass Pecan Plantation. They lived in a dirt-floor cabin at the end of a pig trail on the plantation grounds.Jerry’s formal education began during their time in Lumberton, where he enrolled in the first grade at Lumberton City School.

By the time Jerry was in 8th grade, Papa Ray landed employmentwith the Mississippi Highway Department (now MDOT) as a truck driver, and he moved the family to the Hattiesburg area. Their home near Pep’s Point water park was Jerry’s first home with running water. He ran the local rail tracks, hunted squirrels, and played sandlot baseball during his youth in north Forrest County. He graduated from North Forrest High School in 1965, where he played second base on the baseball team and was known as a class favorite. After graduating high school, he enrolled in National Guard basic training in North Carolina. After returning from basic training, he landed a job with the highway department as a land survey crew member. His first assignment was setting bluetops into the hard clay for the construction of the new Highway 49 during the 1960’s, traversing from south of Hattiesburg to the Coast. Jerry became a skilled land surveyor and construction manager during his 40+ year professional career. His expertise was required at numerous large-scale power plant construction projects throughout Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi, dating back to the early 1970’s.

In the fall of 1971, Jerry met a redheaded Southern Miss. coednamed Sharon Elizabeth Burns at Buford Macbeth’s birthday party in Hattiesburg. They were married on June 7, 1972, at the chapel on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. They had two sons together: Kevin John William, born in 1974 at the Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula; and Jerry Wayne “Chipper”, born in Cleburn, Texas, in 1976. The family of four moved from Pascagoula to Texas (Dallas area and El Paso), and then to Arkansas, leaving a wake of power plant construction projects. By 1982, they moved back to Mississippi, settling in Jackson, where the family was based through the early-1990’s.

On a fateful night ca. New Years 1995, Jerry asked a shapely nurse named Laverne for a dance at the honky tonk Boots, Hat, and Cane, on McDowell Road in South Jackson. Little did Jerry know that dance was the gateway into a 30-year romance that would forever bless his personal and family life. Jerry married Stella Laverne on December 30, 1998, at their home in Morton. Jerry gained a sonthrough marriage, Laverne’s son Brent Thompson. Jerry was affectionately known to the Thompson Family as “Papa Red” and was a special grandfather to the family. Laverne and Jerry lived out their years together in their home on North 6th Avenue in Morton.

Jerry was known to have many nicknames, and gave out many more nicknames to others, throughout his life. Jerry was known as “Papa”, “Papa Red”, “Booger”, “Booger Red”, or “Pop-B” to his grandchildren. He was an active supporter of his grandchildren’s activities and interests.

Jerry was known as “Uncle Butch” or “Uncle Boo” to the McMahon’s, McMahan’s, Bond’s, Rogers’, Burns-Howard’s, Broome’s, Russell’s, and other families throughout the Pine Belt region. Uncle Butch/Boo was known to be a lovable, quick-witted jokester to the extended families. If you needed something, he was the man to call.

Jerry was known as “Coach Red” to many that were lucky enough to play little league baseball on one of his teams. He coached his sons Chipper and Kevin, and youth baseball teams in Texas and Mississippi. He coached many future high school and college players, and at least one major-leaguer, Chad Bradford. He was beloved to his players, friends of his sons, and other coaches. He was known as a “player’s coach” who advocated for his players, teams, and coaches.

Jerry was legendary amongst family and friends for his quick-witand loveable personality. Jerry was a loveable man because he gave so much love to others, and that’s how he is remembered.

Jerry Wayne “Red” McMahon, Sr. is survived by three sons, fivegrandsons, and two granddaughters.

He is survived by:

His sisters Mary Frankie Rogers and Opal Bond and brother-in-lawRobert Bond; His son Jerry Wayne, Jr. and grandson Michael Allen McMahon; His son Kevin John William, daughter-in-law Jamie, and grandsons Carter John-Patrick, Owen Aimery, Jasper John-William, and Kevin Jameson “K.J.” McMahon; His son Brent Thompson, daughter-in-law Sonya, and granddaughters Landry Thompson and Lex Anna Anderson and husband Brady; and Brother-in-law and sister-in-law Junior and Virginia Thompson.

Written by his son Kevin on July 13-14, 2026