John Edward “Ed” Jennings Jr., 75, of Raleigh, died on Dec. 6, 2015.

He was born in Danville, Va. on June 6, 1940, to John Edward Jennings and Cordia Henderson Jennings, now deceased. He grew up in Danville. and graduated from George Washington High School.  In 1974, he started the Underwriting Reporting Insurance Co. which he expanded to cover the southeastern U.S. He sold his business in 1995. After retirement he found his passion in volunteer mission work at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, helping to build the Seminario Tecologico Prebiteriano del Sureste, Villahermosea, Mexico. During the last 20 years, he has traveled to Villlahermosea numerous times, acting as facilitator to U.S. work groups and working as a conduit between the seminary construction committee and the Presbyterian Synod of Tabasco, Mexico. For the last 7 years he has been a volunteer with the U.S. Outreach Foundation to secure funding for the seminary. During recent years he and his wife spent quite a bit of time in Mocksville where he enjoyed raising a garden and sharing its bounty with his friends and neighbors. While in Mocksville he attended Center United Methodist Church and was active in the church and community. He will be remembered for his genuine kindness and compassionate support. He was a man of strong simple faith who acted out his faith by his deeds.

Survivors: his wife of 32 years, Harriet Tutterow Jennings (formerly of Mocksville) along with son, Eddie Jennings of Danville, Va.; daughter Wende and husband Randy Honeycutt, grandchildren, Tessa and Wesley of Danville.; brother Bobby and wife Gail Jennings of Marrietta, Ga.; niece Kristi and husband Curt Croker and children, Riley and Ansley of Marrietta; brothers-in-law Henry Wilson Tutterow and friend, Audrey Martin of Adairsville, Ga; Richard Keith Tutterow and wife Patricia of Newland; niece, Kendra Sisk and husband John and daughter Emmaline of Knightdale; nephews Dirk Tutterow and wife Beverly of Frankfort, Ky., Eric Tutterow of Adairsville, Kirk Tutterow and wife Cheryl Skinner of Kannapolis and daughter, Ellen; Kevin Tutterow of Newland; goddaughter, Yescenia and husband Taylor Dodd and children Andrew, Isaac, and Leo; goddaughter Regina and husband Barry Jaynes and children Cameron and Caison.

A celebration of his life was held Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. at White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh. The family received friends following the service in the Jane Bell Gathering Space at White Memorial.

Memorials: White Memorial Presbyterian, 1704 Oberlin Rd. Raleigh, 27608; Center UMC, c/o Linda Owings, 728 Wilkesboro St., Mocksville; The Outreach Foundation, 381 Riverside Drive, Suite 110, Franklin, TN 37064.