Jerry Woodrow Livingston
Jerry Woodrow Livingston, age 70, passed peacefully from this life and into the arms of God on Friday, July 2, 2021. For more than 30 years, Jerry battled heart disease, and although it never stopped him from doing the things he enjoyed, in the end it finally claimed him.
Born in Ennis, TX on New Year’s Eve 1950, Jerry was the first son of Woodrow and Billie Jo Livingston. Although his birthday was usually eclipsed by New Year’s celebrations, he never complained about being left out, just taking it in stride as he did with most things. A true child of the fifties, Jerry grew up watching Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, and Sky King, honing his bb gun skills along the way. A train that passed by his childhood home in tiny Garret, TX became a favorite target until at the tender age of eight, the local Barney Fife ended Jerry’s career as a marksman. Nonetheless, he continued to terrorize his sisters with cap guns, water pistols, and the occasional spit wad. By his teenage years, his hair grew long, his politics leaned left (that changed), and his musical tastes leaned towards Leon Russell and the Allman Brothers. Like most young men of his generation, Jerry always had a job, from running a paper route to mowing lawns. He graduated from Ardmore High School with the infamous Class of 1969, spent a few summers working at Dornick Hills Country Club and Uniroyal, and later attended the University of Oklahoma where he pursued a degree in accounting. He was detail-oriented and analytical, and loved tinkering with the motorcycles and cars he bought with money earned throwing papers and loading tires. His work ethic can never be challenged.
Despite living in Texas for the last 35 years and having two sons who graduated from the University of Texas, Jerry remained a die-hard Sooner fan his entire life, rarely missing a televised game and well-versed in Sooner facts and trivia. Most conversations with Jerry included an update on OU’s latest recruit along with his prediction that OU would once again be rated #1 in every conceivable category. At the time of his death, Jerry lived in Cedar Park, TX having recently retired after a long career as a computer analyst and technician at Dell Computer. His heart, which was big and filled with love for his sons, may have failed him, but his mind was sharp as a tack. He was a quietly brilliant man with simple tastes who liked a good steak, a glass of tea, and pineapple upside-down cake. His greatest desire, and what he perceived as his crowning achievement, was supporting one son through law school and one through medical school. No prouder father ever lived than Jerry Livingston.
Jerry enjoyed deer hunting and fishing with his sons and spent much of his free time relaxing in his boat on Lake Waco. He was also a gardener who taught himself to can and preserve the bounty from his garden, gifting jars of jelly and preserved vegetables to family and friends and bragging about his tomatoes, onions, and corn. He is fondly remembered by both of his sisters as being extremely generous, especially at Christmas. With all his siblings, he was both more protective and forgiving than he should have been. Jerry was very interested in genealogy and spent a great deal of time collecting old family photos and tracing family history, always the one to stay in touch with long-lost relatives.
Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Posey Woodrow Livingston and his sister Patricia Ann Livingston. He is survived by his mother Billie Jo Livingston of Cedar Park, TX, his sons Adam Livingston of Austin, TX and Travis Livingston of Galveston, TX; sister Betty Parkerson and her husband Buddy Parkerson of Ardmore, OK; brother Terry Livingston; nieces Lauren Allen, Sarah Overton, Megan Shinneman and their families; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and a host of friends and co-workers at Dell.
Jerry was baptized at an early age, accepting Christ as his savior, and his family finds peace knowing Jerry is reunited in Heaven with Woody and Pat. He will be remembered always as a devoted son, proud father, thoughtful and generous brother, and an all-around decent, good man. A graveside service honoring his life will be held Monday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. at Red Oak Cemetery in Red Oak, TX. Online condolences may be made at Boze-Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home.
