Jerry Nealey of Dalton, GA has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved him.
What follows is not the whole story, but a thread of it.
Jerry held deeply to the Baptist faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
Belief, when lived, becomes a kind of inheritance.
Jerry F. Nealey, age 76, of Rocky Face, went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 4, 2026, at Hamilton Medical Center.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Johnny and Frances Nealey; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Frank and Kathleen Hasty; brothers-in-law, Rick Hasty and Gene Daffron.
Jerry loved his family very much and always supported them. He was founder and owner of Domestic and Export Carpets and the owner of Dependable Rug Mills. Jerry served on the Whitfield County school board for 18 years and was a community coach for several sports. He was president of the Westside Athletic Association, officer of the Northwest Tip Off Club and Dug Out Club and was a charter member of Lakeside Baptist Church. Jerry had a very giving heart.
He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Gail Nealey; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Laura Nealey of Rocky Face; sister and brothers-in-law, Linda and Frank Knox of Rocky Face, Joan and Joel Phillips of Ringgold; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pam and Terry Painter of Rocky Face; sister-in-law, Barbara Hasty of Rocky Face; grandchildren, Callen (Molly McCranie) Nealey, Preston (Hallie) Nealey; nieces and nephews, Drew (Cheryl) Daffron, Farrah (Tim) Henderson, Joel (Amy) Phillips, Eric (Emily) Pullen, Stacey (Shane) Owen, Michelle (Rodney) Dodd, Trey (Anna) Hasty. Several great nieces and nephews also survive.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, May 8, 2026, at the Rocky Face Chapel of Julian Peeples Funeral Home with Rev. Scott Hobbs and Rev. Clyde Painter officiating.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
Messages of comfort may be sent to the family at www.julianpeeples.com.
Arrangements are by Julian Peeples Funeral Home, Rocky Face. For more information, please call 706-272-9777.
