Ronald W. Jenkins, was born on the 14th day of August 1950, in Johnson City, Tennessee, and passed from his life on Earth into Heaven on the 7th day of July, 2016, at the age of 65 years, while located in Limestone, Tennessee. Jenkins was a Son of Ms. Peggy Hutchinson Jenkins and Mr. James Herman Jenkins, Sr., and a Grandson of Ms. M. Vivian Harmon Jenkins and Mr. F. Herman Jenkins. Jenkins was pre-deceased by his youngest Son, Captain Robert Herman Jenkins, U.S.M.C. He is survived by Children, Ms. Kimberly M. Adkins (Spouse James), Ms. April C. Henderson (Spouse James), Mr. Ronald W. Jenkins II (Spouse Stella), Grandchildren, Kirsten, Mikayla, Kaitlynn, Dylan, Braydon, Corbin and Ronald III a/k/a “Big R” and Brother Mr. James Herman “Butch” Jenkins, Jr.

Jenkins accepted the Lord as his personal Savior at an early age. His Grandmother Jenkins, who had taught 1st through 8th Grades in a one-room schoolhouse near Old Butler, Tennessee, taught Jenkins to read utilizing the King James Version of the Holy Bible as the Text. Later during his life, Jenkins was blessed to have had the opportunity to read the entire 1611 King James Version of the Bible.

Jenkins attended Sulphur Springs Elementary School, Jonesboro Elementary School and graduated from Asbury Elementary School where he served as Eighth Grade Class President and was Class Salutatorian. Jenkins was a Member of BSA Troop 44 and a Charter Member of Explorer Post 44. Jenkins graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1968 serving as Senior Class Vice-President, earning 4th in Class Academic Standing, and was a Member of the National Honor Society. He was selected to participate in the Washington County, Tennessee, Youth in Government Day during his Senior Year at which time he was elected to serve as Student “County Judge” by the Participants from the Washington County High Schools. He received additional academic recognition while in High School. Jenkins earned a total of five Athletic Letters in Football and Track at Jonesboro High School. Jenkins also was selected to receive Honorable Mention on the All Watauga Conference Football Team during his Senior Year of High School.

Jenkins earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, completing a five-year academic program in four calendar years. While pursuing studies at the University of Tennessee, Jenkins earned Membership into The National Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi, and earned Membership into, and was elected President of the University of Tennessee Chapter of, Eta Kappa Nu, the National Electrical Engineering Honor Society. Jenkins also participated in the Army ROTC Program for a period of two years while earning his BSEE Degree during which he earned the Cadet Rank of SSgt. and reportedly scored second highest in the Cadet Brigade in aptitude testing. After receiving his BSEE, Jenkins was admitted into Graduate School in the College of Engineering, University of Tennessee, to pursue a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. He was awarded a coveted and highly competitive position as a Graduate Assistant to complete the Master of Science Program with a full Scholarship and GA stipend. Jenkins also was offered a position as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Tennessee, which personally was offered to him by the Head of the Metallurgical Engineering Department. Jenkins respectfully had declined several commercial private employment opportunities and enrollment in other Graduate Programs in various locations to pursue the aforesaid graduate Degree at the University of Tennessee. Jenkins was assigned an Office Space and was engaged in preliminary discussions with Professors about Thesis Topics when he was presented with an opportunity to participate in the Vietnam War. When Jenkins received a Guarantee that he physically would be based in Southeast Asia and participating in the conflict within a few months, he resigned his position as a Graduate Assistant in the Electrical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering, University of Tennessee, and commenced a very interesting journey.

After spending some time at facilities of the United States Air Force, including Kirtland AFB, and a Missile Range in New Mexico, Jenkins reported to Dover AFB to deploy with a Team to a storied Tactical Fighter Wing, nicknamed “The Wolf Pack”, of the 7th Air Force, PACAF, United States Air Force, in Southeast Asia, which Team was tasked with setting up facilities, conducting Ops Checks of Aircraft and Weapons Systems and launching hot air-to-ground Combat Missions with prototype systems within forty-eight (48) hours after touching down at the airfield and which task the Team successfully completed. Tasked Missions included convoy interdiction, troop interdiction, accurately striking and destroying tactical targets and strategic targets, providing Ground Combat Air Support and striking and destroying Targets of Opportunity. The weapons system with which Jenkins deployed was a precision guided air-to-ground munitions system, Laser Guided Bombs, which provided the capability of single aircraft ingress and delivery of munitions on either a stationary target or a mobile target without the necessity of a two-aircraft “Hunter-Killer” aircraft team which previously had resulted in increased ingress vulnerability and which had required orbiting of the “Hunter” aircraft over a target, or over a target area, with increased susceptibility to being hit with incoming AAA. With the very limited number of prototype systems, which comprised the entire USAF/DOD inventory, all Missions for which the systems were “fragged” or scheduled successfully were launched and Mission Objectives were accomplished. All Team movements, locations and Missions were Classified at that time. Jenkins’ Family sometimes learned of his PCS Base location after the information was cleared for dissemination, but was not apprised either of movements or Missions or all the locations. In fact, Jenkins’ eldest child was born while Jenkins was based in Southeast Asia and was three (3) days old before Jenkins learned of his Birth. He did not know the name of his eldest Child for another two weeks when he received correspondence through the APO. After various diplomatic Accords were obtained and Peace Treaties signed with the termination of Missions being launched in or into Southeast Asia countries, Jenkins returned to CONUS and was assigned to a Tactical Fighter Test Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida.

During time in the Pacific Theatre, Jenkins had transited through Yokota AB, Japan, spending a night in the VOQ/BOQ, through which Air Base his Father had transited when returning from Japan after World War II and through which his youngest Son later transited during a Summer Cruise/Tour while a Midshipman at USNA �" three generations had set foot upon and spent a bit of time aboard the same facility. More significantly, however, Mr. James H. Jenkins, Sr., had been involved in procuring Allied control of the Airfield by his participation in the Liberation of the Philippines. It is interesting and believed to be worthy of Note that a very poignant moment was shared by Mr. James Herman Jenkins, Sr., then Midshipman-Select Robert Herman Jenkins and Ron Jenkins when the three of them suddenly came upon and observed in front of them at the Naval Academy Museum aboard the United States Naval Academy facility the display of the table and table cloth upon which the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, or Peace Treaty, was subscribed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to end hostilities between the Allied powers and Japan during WWII, while the three were touring and marking time the day before USNA “I-Day” for the young Man who would become Captain Robert Herman Jenkins, USMC.

After being attached to a Test Squadron at Eglin AFB for approximately eighteen months or so, Jenkins then personally was selected by the CINCUSAFE, who was the former CINCPACAF, to be a Member of a “Hand-Picked” Team to deploy to a classified site, a “front line Air Base” in the NATO Theatre of Operations, in two weeks time to establish and to supply precision guided air-to-ground munitions capability. Tactical Fighter Wing to which Jenkins was attached and the weapons system were tasked with specific Tactical Mission Objectives in the event the “Cold War” evolved or erupted into an active combat situation or an invasion by then-Warsaw Pact Nations. After a period of time, one person from the initial deployment Team was selected to remain as Engineer-In-Charge. Jenkins successfully met the requirements and was very honored and humbled to be selected by USAFE as the single Team Member to remain in NATO. Jenkins remained in the NATO Theatre of Operations and adjoining regions, for approximately three years thereafter assisting in maintaining USAFE Operational Readiness, training Personnel and deploying on Training Missions over a wide-ranging area. During this time, Jenkins also enjoyed the opportunity to Brief the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chairman of the Senate Arms Committee, various Cabinet Members and other individuals. Jenkins also was the first American to Brief a Squadron of Pilots of the British Royal Air Force, British Ministry of Defense, in regard to the operation of the air-to-ground system which, along with its follow-on successor systems, the United States Air Force, other NATO Forces and Allies of the United States successfully have deployed and accomplished Missions with a high degree of success in most every armed conflict since that time to this date. Jenkins silently was especially grateful and relieved when he learned that the precision guided munitions with which he had been involved in developing and deploying years earlier in Southeast Asia and NATO were used in defending positions that his youngest Son, Captain Robert Herman Jenkins, USMC, occupied during his four Combat Tours in Iraq.

Jenkins was a Pilot and was honored to have been selected by fellow Pilots to serve as President of the Spangdahlem Air Base Aero Club during 1976-1977. Jenkins flew over and into a number of European Countries recreationally as Pilot-in-Command taking his Family and USAF Personnel who were not Pilots or Aircrew Members on airborne sightseeing tours at no charge to them. Generally, these flights were accomplished in a fully-instrumented USAF T-41 in which Jenkins maintained currency and proficiency while in Europe. Jenkins also was a Member of the RTAFB Ubon Officers Open Mess (OOM), Hahn AB OOM, Spangdahlem AB OOM and Andrews AFB OOM. He traveled, was billeted and was quartered on USAF Orders as a GS-13 Equiv./O-5 Equiv. Jenkins frequently was assigned to locations designated by letters such as “Site X’ or “Site Y” and was not at liberty to divulge the geographic location of the Site or Theatre of Operations in which the Site was located. Many procedures developed by Jenkins on his own initiative during training and operations to improve efficiency and turn-around times were adopted and incorporated into printed Technical Manuals and Technical Orders to be used by personnel who engaged in combat operations and maintenance of the weapons system and its associated components. In transit, Jenkins logged a number of hours as a passenger aboard MAC C-130 and C-141 Aircraft, including trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic flights. Overall, Jenkins traveled and resided in excess of twenty-seven (27) countries overseas on and over several continents, most of which his Family members still are unaware, and in the majority of the States of the United States of America. While based PCS with two USAFE Tactical Fighter Wings in the Federal Republic of Germany, Jenkins had TDY Assignments from Great Britain to Spain to the Mediterranean Region. Jenkins recalled that the best Chow Hall breakfast he ever ate was at Zaragoza AB and the best Chow Hall mashed potatoes he ever ate were aboard a Naval Air Station in the Med �" and that Old Country Boy sure did like mashed potatoes. He was fortunate literally to have completely or circumnavigated the World. After practicing law for three years, Jenkins was contacted and invited to become involved again with introducing the guided munitions system to additional components of the USAF which he did during a hiatus from practicing law from approximately 1983 through 1985. He also spent time at Andrews AFB and Nellis AFB during this time period. Before returning to the practice of law in 1985, Jenkins additionally worked with in-house modifications and testing of an Air-to-Ground missile system the progeny of which remain in the active Inventory of the United States DOD and other allied countries and are utilized in Combat scenarios almost daily in the Global War on Terror.

Jenkins was honored to be involved in, and was dedicated to his minor role in, the Defense of our Country and would have continued to be involved, but the passing of his Grandfather Jenkins, who was like a Father to him during his formative years, caused him to believe that he should return to Upper East Tennessee to raise his budding Family so they would know their surviving Relatives, the people of the Appalachian Region and the Mountains of East Tennessee in which his Caucasian ancestors had farmed since as early as 1791, A.D., and in which his Native American Ancestors had farmed, hunted and resided for a few centuries. Despite his desire to continue in the work he enjoyed, to which he was dedicated and which he believed contributed to our National Defense, Jenkins decided to attempt to gain entry into Law School with a view toward practicing Law and raising his Family in Upper East Tennessee. That was the sole reason Jenkins went to Law School. Jenkins sat for the Law School Admission Test in a cold classroom at an Army Kaserne in the Federal Republic of West Germany on a very cold December 1976 Morning and, very much to his surprise, scored in the top nine percentile (top 9%) of individuals who took the LSAT worldwide during that testing cycle. Jenkins jokingly attributed the top 9% score to his cold, trembling hands which did not mark the circles on the multiple-choice test that he intended them to mark.

Jenkins applied only to the University of Tennessee School of Law and was accepted. Jenkins earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Tennessee. While in Law School, Jenkins was selected by the Faculty to serve as a Student Instructor of Research and Writing III. Jenkins also was honored to have been accepted as a Member of The Tennessee Law Review. After serving as an Assistant Editor and as Research Editor, Jenkins was honored to be selected to lead The Tennessee Law Review as Editor in Chief for the publication of the Summer 1979 and Autumn 1979 Editions. Jenkins also submitted a Casenote Article which was published in the Tennessee Law Review while he was serving as an Assistant Editor. Jenkins also joined the University of Tennessee Flying Club and occasionally flew the Club’s Orange and White Cessna 172 to the Tri-Cities.

Jenkins enjoyed practicing Martial Arts commencing with his initial formal training in Tae Kwon Do while in Southeast Asia under the tutelage of a former Captain in the Republic of Korea (R.O.K.) Army. Jenkins earned and held the Rank of Third Degree Black Belt in the International Tae Kwon Do Alliance, later re-named Tiger Rock Martial Arts. Jenkins was selected by Students as 2004 Instructor of the Year at the Kingsport TKD Academy and also was elected and served as President of the Black Belt Club for one year at the same Academy or Dojang. Jenkins successfully competed and placed, or medaled in Free-Sparring in each Local, Regional and National/International TKD Alliance Tournament in which he participated.

Jenkins was Ordained and served as a Deacon from the 25th day of March 2007 until is death, on the Board of Deacons of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church of which he had been a member for over fifty-five years. He also was honored to teach the Adult Men’s Sunday School Class as long as his work commitments would allow him time adequately to prepare for Classes. Jenkins also served in several Church Committee positions including Chairman of the Captain Robert Herman Jenkins, USMC, Memorial Playground Committee, the United States Flag Committee and a Pastor Search Committee. Jenkins was a member of the Church Choir and sang solos from time to time at various Services.

Jenkins was a Member of The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood. He held a strong commitment to the goals and projects of The TLC Brotherhood in assisting Thailand and Laos in constructing Schools in Rural Areas of Southeast Asia and in providing Scholarships. Jenkins also adhered to their creed of “Secret Warriors, Secret Peacemakers.”

During December 2004, Jenkins was appointed by the Town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, Board of Mayor and Aldermen, to the position of Assistant Municipal Judge for the Town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, in which capacity he served voluntarily until his death. One of the cases which came before Jenkins for a Hearing was included in a News Broadcast by Mr. Paul Harvey. Jenkins had listened to Paul Harvey News at many locations around the World through the years on AFN and other broadcast networks and was amused that a case he Heard was considered a National news item. He also was honored to have received the AV Pre-Eminent Rating by his Peers through the Martindale-Hubbell® anonymous Peer Review system which is conferred for the “Highest Possible Rating Both in Legal Ability and Ethical Standards Reflecting the Confidential Opinions of the Bar and Judiciary.” He also served voluntarily in the capacity of Staff Attorney for Washington County-Johnson City Emergence Medical Services, inc., for a period of approximately seven years until he resigned the position due to a relocation of his Law Practice. Jenkins also qualified and served as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator.

Jenkins was a member of the invitation only American Board of Trial Advocates which requires members to have served in the capacity of sole Attorney or Lead Attorney in a specified number of Jury Trials. Jenkins also was a member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, the American Judges Association, the Tennessee Municipal Judges Association, the Barbershop Harmony Society and the Appalachian Express Chorus. Jenkins was listed in a number of “Who’s Who” Publications in successive years. Jenkins was admitted to practice in all Tennessee State Courts, Courts of Appeal and the Tennessee Supreme Court as well as in the United States District Courts, in the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and in the United States Supreme Court. He also had tried cases in Virginia with Associated Virginia Counsel.

He was very thankful for his Native American Heritage which was passed along by his Paternal Great, Great-Grandmother Wilson, who was a Member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and her Son, Great-Grandfather William C. “Billy” Wilson, a Native of “Old Butler,” Tennessee. Jenkins also was a Tennessee Colonel.

Through the years, folks assigned a number of Nicknames to Jenkins to which he never objected and by which he always was honored, such as the following: “Snoopy”, “Luigi”, “Master Blaster”, “Bird Dog”, “Spook”, “Colombo” by a Jury in Carter County, Tennessee, “Matlock” by an AT&T Engineer/Attorney, Hillbilly, Tennessee, Data and a few others which would require too much explanation. Of course, he most enjoyed being called Dad and Pappaw.

Jenkins requested that there be no visitation and no formal Funeral Service. Burial of his earthly remains has been completed with a graveside service conducted solely by Family Members in accordance with his request.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church Memory Garden Fund P.O. Box 246 Limestone, TN 37681.

No currently DOD Classified information is included in this Obituary. There was a considerable amount of information which was not included due to concerns about Classification and Re-Classification. Jenkins was granted initial and updated Security Clearances for many years and very carefully protected Classified information and hardware with which he was entrusted and very carefully guarded the Clearances granted to me.