Jerry Dean Clevenger

Jerry Dean Clevenger passed into the arms of the Lord he had served for most of his life Wednesday, October 20, 2021, in Spartanburg, SC, aged 79 years. Jerry had been joyously married to his wife Gail Clevenger for over 60 years. Jerry worked in various fields earlier in life, including fleet sales and leasing, for which he was recognized as National Salesman of the Year by National Car Rental in 1985. But the majority of his life was spent in Christian ministry of various roles. Ordained to Christian ministry in 1975, after having voluntarily served as Elder for Evangel Cathedral (Spartanburg, SC) for several years, he joined the staff full time in 1988, where he would continue until his retirement from that role in 2005. During his time as an Assistant Pastor at Evangel Cathedral, Jerry spearheaded several special initiatives including Master’s Commission, and an outreach cooperation of Evangel Cathedral and Spartanburg Housing Authority to several housing communities in the City of Spartanburg. Jerry traveled around the world on various missionary journeys. His mission sites included Australia, Hungary, and numerous cities in the former Soviet Union. One of these trips was documented by CBS and aired nationally as an episode of 48 Hours in 1993. In addition to his mission trips, Jerry took special joy in counseling and bereavement ministry at Evangel Cathedral, ministering to people in hours of special and/or pressing need. While ministering at Evangel Cathedral, Jerry began volunteering as Chaplain for the Spartanburg City Police Department, in which role he served faithfully for 13 years, riding weekly with various officers, organizing ways to support and show appreciation for the officers and fire fighters of Spartanburg City. Jerry was active in the International Conference of Police Chaplains, in which role he traveled to the site of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and assisted in chaplain capacity with the New Jersey Port Authority. In 2005, Jerry transitioned to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Department as Head Chaplain. In this role, he faithfully organized large and small scale programs to support and encourage the deputies and staff of the Sheriff’s Department, began the annual Sheriff’s Prayer Breakfast, and organized the yearly Sheriff’s Department Benevolence Program Golf Tournament. In addition to riding along for shifts, Jerry counseled many of the deputies and their families in various events and stages of life including births, deaths, marriages, weddings, and more until his final retirement in 2013. Jerry was also directly responsible for preventing suicides on several occasions where the police had been called. For more than twenty years, Jerry was known for his unfailing insistence to tell each conversation partner (and even passersby) that s/he was a blessing. This stemmed from his internalization of Proverbs 18.21, and his determination to affect positive change and faith in Jesus Christ in people’s lives as his legacy. It was printed on his personal business cards. It was even printed on his cane. Those who knew him well often tried to beat him to the affirmation whenever they saw him, with only occasional success. Jerry was preceded in death by his father Charles William Clevenger, mother Dorothy Cox Clevenger, and brother James Clevenger. Jerry is survived by his wife of 60 years, Gail Black Clevenger; three sons, Charles “Rusty” and Cathy Mason Clevenger and their children, Dylan Clevenger (Hannah) and Jordan Clevenger, Michael and Brenda Duncan Clevenger and their children, Michael Clevenger (Kathryn), Ian Clevelnger (Michaela), and Hollyann Clevenger, and Gabriel and Leah Robinson Clevenger and their children, Caroline Clevenger, Elizabeth Clevenger, and Macy Margaret Clevenger; two great grandchildren, Kelli Louise Clevenger and Emma Jane Clevenger; and his brother, Roger Dale Clevenger. Graveside services will be held Sunday, October 24th, 3:00PM in Shiloh Memorial Cemetery, 4040 New Cut Road, Inman, SC 29349. The family invites all who knew & loved Jerry to attend. In remembrance of Jerry, memorials may be made to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Benevolence Fund, 8045 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303.