William "Bill" Andrew Jerry, 86, of Columbia, passed away on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. Born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Joseph John Jerry and Susan Fedorina Jerry. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Elizabeth Dennis Jerry of Cameron, South Carolina.

Bill graduated from Old Forge High School where he was fondly known as the hometown football hero. After high school, Bill briefly attended New York Military Academy and was soon recruited by Coach Warren Giese to play football for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He loved every minute of his time playing ball and often reminisced about his favorite moments with "the guys." He never missed an opportunity to brag about beating the Georgia Bulldogs every single year that he played. But his biggest achievement at The University was meeting the love of his life, Elizabeth.

Bill received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1959. Upon finishing his college football career, he was drafted by a few NFL teams. He played a preseason game with the Detroit Lions but was soon after called to serve his country in the United States Air Force where he was stationed in Europe. Once he returned home, Bill was drafted by the Dallas Texans which he politely declined. He knew that Elizabeth would never want to be that far away from her family, so he decided to end his football career.

In the early 70's, Bill worked for the South Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation where he eventually served as the Director of the Memorial Youth Center on Blossom Street in Columbia. There he organized all sorts of activities for the area's youth. He, along with others, started a boxing club where they trained many young men- one even became a national champion. His days at the Memorial Youth Center were some of his fondest memories. He often told the stories of meeting Rocky Marciano and Mahammed Ali, and it was not uncommon to see him refereeing boxing matches on ESPN. Bill was inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.

In 1975, Bill and his partner opened a little restaurant called The Mousetrap. This was a special place for a delicious meal, good music, fun conversations, and maybe a cocktail or two! There they hosted all sorts of musical greats such as "Sweet Thang" Eddie Brown, The Amazing Buddy Ray, Ross Holmes, Mike Tronco, and of course, Fred and Bunny Jones. Bill and Elizabeth proudly served the patrons of The Mousetrap for over 40 years, and they made many life-long friends.

In his free time, you could catch Bill watching his beloved Gamecocks, woodworking in his shop, or spending time at his house on Lake Murray. Bill will be remembered for his quick wit, his sarcasm, and his many "Billisms." He loved his family fiercely and was always there for them. Bill is survived by his daughter, Christine Jerry Pool (Rick); grandchildren, Olivia Laurel Thornton, Grayson Elizabeth Pool, and James Singleton Pool; sister Ruth Jerry Pilosi; son- in- law, Thomas Thornton; several nieces and nephews whom he adored. In addition to his wife and parents, he is predeceased by his children, William Andrew Jerry and Mary Elizabeth Thornton; and brother Joseph John Jerry, Jr.

The Memorial Service for Mr. Jerry will be held at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on Monday, December 18th at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, 3401 Trenholm Rd. Columbia, SC 29204. A private interment will be held at Cameron Memorial Cemetery in Cameron, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Trenholm Road United Methodist Music Ministry or to a charity of one's choice.

Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.