Gerald D. "Jerry" Short, Sr.

Gerald D. “Jerry” Short, Sr. 86, of Columbus, Georgia passed away Sunday July 8, 2012 in Columbus. Funeral services with military honors will be held 2:00pm (EST) Tuesday July 10th in the chapel of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 3770 Highway 431 N, Phenix City, Alabama, 36867, with the Reverend Gene Boyd officiating. Private entombment will be in Lakeview Memory Gardens in Phenix City. The family will receive friends

Monday evening from 5pm until 7pm at the funeral home.

Mr. Short was born May 30, 1926 in Montgomery, Alabama, son of the late Homer Short and Omie Tillery Short. He was a native of Phenix City where he graduated from Central High School, class of 1944. Military service included 2 years in the Army Air Corps, 1944-1946, U.S. Army, 1946-1948. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1950 and in 1951 graduated from the first class of the Navy’s Journalisn School. He served aboard 3 aircraft carriers as each ship’s newspaper editor and in 1957 served as the Navy’s senior Chief Journalist for NATO at the European headquarters of Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples, Italy until 1962. He was the Public Information Officer at Mayport Naval Station, Mayport, FL., at the time of his retirement in 1968.

After military retirement, Mr. Short became a Florida real estate broker in Ft. Lauderdale until he permanently retired in 1982. He moved back to Columbus in 1995 . Mr. Short was President of the Red Devil Breakfast Club in Phenix City and founder and President of the Golden Eagles Senior Adult Ministry at Cascade Hills Church where he was a member. Other than his parents Mr. Short is preceded in death by his son, Dr. Kenneth B. Short.

Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Sara Jane Short of Columbus, children, Gerald D. Short, Jr., of Ft. Lauderdale, FL., and Cynthia Short of Chattanooga, TN., stepdaughters, Sheryl Hoffman of Phenix City and Cindy Whatley of Columbus. 6 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, numerous other relatives and friends. Memorial contributions may be made to Columbus Hospice, 7020 Moon Rd., Columbus, Ga. 31909. To offer condolences