Geraldine “Jerri” McDonald Warren, 79, of Benton, Tennessee, passed away Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at a Chattanooga hospital.
She was a member of Welcome Valley Baptist Church. She was a prayer warrior who loved her church family and they loved her. Although she had no children of her own, she mothered everyone. Her calling was to care for her family and the children of Polk and Bradley Counties. She was a caregiver for her aging parents; special nephew, Aaron McDonald; brother, Sonny McDonald; sister,-in-law, Nancy McDonald and her mother, Grace Smith and Christine Wood. She became a second great grandmother to her sister’s granddaughter, Maddie Schenck. She worked for 38 years with Human Services and Child Protective Services in Bradley and Polk Counties. She also cared for the children of Polk and Bradley Counties. She was their CHAMPION. She was a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan College and taught school in TN and GA.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter, Sr. and Marie Parks McDonald; sister, Christine Wood; and brother, Walter “Sonny” McDonald.
She is survived by her niece and nephews, Darlene Wood Schenck, Douglas Wood and Andy and Aaron McDonald.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 at Higgins Funeral Home in Benton, TN with the Reverend Chad Maxwell officiating. Interment will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 in Benton Memorial Gardens with Phillip Jones, Matthew Schenck, Blake Wood, Tony McDonald, Andrew Cross, and H. L. “Michael” Hughes serving as pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 at the funeral home prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to People Helping People, P.O. Box 263, Benton, TN 37307.