Jerry Leigh Stokes' Obituary
Jerry Leigh Stokes, age 86, surrounded by his family, was called home to our Lord on June 14, 2021 at Miami, Florida. Jerry was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina on August 11, 1934 to Charles Russell Chandler and Helen Walton Smith and grew up in Conway, North Carolina. In 1948, he attended high school at Conwy High School in Conway, NC where he excelled at all sports. He then attended Chowan College in Murfreesboro, NC. Jerry joined the Air Force in 1953. He later attended Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, NC for three years where he met and married Gladys Melero Enrich in 1955 and later divorced. While living in Camaguey, Cuba for three years, he met and married Magaly Navarro on June 17, 1960. After moving to Miami, Florida in October, he began working with Flagg Bros. Shoes for four years. He later relocated to Puerto Rico for six months and returned to Miami in 1964 to work for the Florsheim Shoe Company for 35 years. For 20 years, Jerry was the Southeast Area General Manager for the Florsheim Group, Inc. (men's shoes) and the Florsheim Thayer McNeil Division (women's shoes). The Thayer McNeil Division closed in 1990 and he moved to the parent company, Florsheim Group, Inc. until his retirement in January 1, 2000. Jerry was honored in Florida with a wonderful retirement celebration attended by all his store managers and their families as well as dignitaries from The Florsheim Shoe Company and his family. He was also honored with another retirement celebration at Florsheim’s home office in Chicago, Illinois. Jerry was an avid sports fan. As a season ticket holder for over 30 years, he attended all Dolphin and University of Miami home football games. He also played in 2 softball leagues (Big 5 Club and The Young Viejos). Jerry was a loving husband, a wonderful father, a fun-loving grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is survived by his loving and beloved wife of 61 years, Magaly; his daughters from his first marriage, Helen Marie and Cherrie Leigh, daughter and son-in-law, Kimberly Adair and Francisco Guillermo, son, Jerry Leigh, Jr. and Alejandra Zapata Gomez; grandchildren, Jessica Nicole, Hamid Jaafar, Roxana, Francisco Guillermo and his wife, Natalie, Brandon Gabriel, Jerry Leigh III, Ashley Nicole, Tristan Matthew, Emiliano Alejandro; and great-grandchildren, Amayah Alise, Gabriel, Auden, Michael Nazir, and Leo Alexander. Funeral services will be held on June 18, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Van Orsdel Funeral Home, 11220 N. Kendall Drive, Miami, Florida with burial to follow at Graceland Memorial North Park, 4420 SW 8 Street, Miami, Florida.
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