Obituary of Gerald Lynn Messina

Gerald L. Messina, 67, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his children on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Jerry was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi to Dr. A.J. and Mrs. Cecile Messina on November 24, 1952. After graduating St. Aloysius High School where he played football as a defensive end, Jerry headed to Mississippi State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Forestry and commissioned through ROTC as an officer in the United States Army. After serving his country, Jerry found and married the love of his life, Jeanette Bassett. They had two children, Bill and Ashley. Jerry would go on to graduate the Gunsmith School in Colorado and open J & J Gunsmithing in his hometown of Vicksburg. He would later return to school at Louisiana Tech to achieve his Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Engineering. He applied his new trade serving Veterans at the VA medical center in Nashville, Tennessee for three years before transferring to the VA medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1998, Jerry and Jeanette moved to Shreveport, Louisiana where Jerry served as the Director of Biomedical Engineering at LSU Health Sciences Center until his retirement in 2016. Once retired, Jerry moved back to Vicksburg where he lived on Thompson Lake and served as the center of gravity for his children and grandchildren.

Mr. Messina is preceded in death by his wife Jeanette; parents Dr. A.J. and Cecile Messina; brother Fred and nephew Tony.

He is survived by son Bill and his wife Ericka Messina; daughter Ashley and her husband Chris Wall; grandchildren Tommy, Tate and his wife Morgan, Brooklynn, Mason, Lakelynn, Colt, Liam and Jamie and great granddaughter, Taylynn.