Jerry Bradford Gaultney, PhD

Jerry served as a Baptist missionary in Nigeria from 1953 to 1978 with his wife Virginia Gaultney. In Nigeria, Jerry worked as the director of Eku Baptist Hospital’s clinical laboratory and he established a school to train medical technicians. Later, he taught courses in microbiology at Benin’s Medical School and at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. While at Eku, Jerry served as advisor for churches in villages around the hospital.

Jerry obtained his BS and MS degrees in Biology from Baylor University. In preparation for missionary work, he completed a year of theological training at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He earned a PhD in Microbiology from LSU Medical School, and received a Post Doctorate Fellowship in Microbiology from Baylor School of Medicine.

After twenty-five years as a medical missionary in Nigeria, Jerry served as a biology professor and Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Houston Baptist University, receiving the rank of Professor Emeritus in 1997. He is the author of A Traveler’s Search for Truth—Finding God in Creation in which he explained the compatibility of Christianity and science, and how science confirms and strengthens the Christian view of God.

In another of his books, written with his wife Virginia, he wrote:

“Our feeling of deep loss when someone close to us dies is based not on the loss of the physical life, which sometimes included suffering, but rather on the loss of our relationship to the real person—the spiritual soul of our loved one. Our faith is based on the understanding that our loss is a temporary one; we will join our loved ones in heaven someday.”

Jerry was known for his close walk with God, his love of family, his sense of humor, his adventurous, friendly spirit, and his intellect. And yes, the strength of his willpower.

He is survived by his son David Bradford (Carol) Gaultney; son Ira Bruce (Amanda) Gaultney; son Steven Skipper (Marian) Gaultney; son-in-law Roy (Cheryl) Vandiver; eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Jerry is preceded in death by his wife of seventy-three years, Virginia Claire Skipper Gaultney; his parents, Ira and Edyth Gaultney; brother Robert “Bob” Eugene Gaultney; daughters, Nancy Elizabeth Gaultney and Connie Lee Gaultney Vandiver; daughter-in-law Jean “Jeannie” Ellen Parmenter Gaultney; and great-granddaughter, Clara Jean Gaultney.

A visitation for Jerry will be held Saturday, October 28, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660. A funeral service will begin at 2:00 p.m. Following the service, he will be laid to rest at Cook-Walden/Memorial Hill Cemetery.

The service will be live-streamed through www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com.

In lieu of flowers, please do as Jerry would do; honor God by helping someone in need.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com for the Gaultney family.