~OBITUARY~
~GERALD DUANE PEYTON~
November 26, 1972 ~ June 7, 2020
Of the many words used to describe Gerald, the
descriptor that embraces his very essence, that depicts
who he was to most people, and upon which his legacy
will thrive, is FRIEND. Gerald was a man among men,
known to family and acquaintances as a kind, generous,
selfless, fun-filled person who loved fiercely, gave freely,
enjoyed life and always put the needs of others before
himself. He was that friend upon whom many could
depend, in whom friends could trust, and on whom
countless could count. No matter the situation or
circumstance of life, Gerald was there. His presence and
spirit seemed bigger than life. That which superseded
his love for his friends was his unwavering love and devotion to his family: his
parents, his son, his siblings, his aunts and uncles, his nieces and nephews, and
his cousins, for each one was uniquely loved and uniquely cherished by him.
Gerald Duane Peyton was born on November 26, 1972 to Myra Smith Peyton
and the late Judge A.J. Peyton, Jr. He was the youngest of nine siblings (four
brothers and four sisters). He accepted Christ at an early age, when he
confessed his belief at Mt. Vernon M. B. Church, Yazoo City, MS.
Gerald's passion for sports was unending! He was a
die-hard Pittsburg Steeler fan. As a youth, he played
whatever sport was in season, on vacant lots, his front
yard and driveway before graduating to organized Pop
Warner football, youth soccer, and little league baseball.
Baseball was his favorite and a constant throughout his
life. In his first season of little league, he was too far
down the roster to receive a jersey so his mother made
him one. He was a natural and earned a jersey and a
starting role every year thereafter. Having excelled on
pony league, high school and college teams, he further
expressed his love for the game through coaching.

Gerald's education began at Ann Brooks Kindergarten
and continued at Yazoo City Public Schools where he
graduated in June 1990. He sang tenor in the male choir
and was voted Most Likely to Be Missed by his senior
class. He furthered his education at Mississippi Valley
State University (Valley) having earned a baseball
scholarship as both a player and a pitcher. He was
selected as the team's Most Valuable Player his senior
season. After graduating from Valley in May 1995 with a
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a
minor in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
(HPER), at the urging of his father, Gerald pursued a
certificate in Funeral Service Technology at Northwest
Mississippi Community College and completed the
program in 1996. Following in his father's footsteps,
Gerald was a Funeral Director/Mortician at Century
Funeral Home in Yazoo City from 1996 – 2010. After
Century, Gerald assisted Scott Memorial Funeral Home with services. In May
2019, Gerald received his Masters of Sports Administration at Belhaven and
was on track to complete the Specialist degree in School Administration at
Arkansas State University this fall.
In August 1998 he began his teaching and coaching career at the Yazoo City
High School. Expertly sharing his skills and knowledge in the classroom, he
taught Technology/STEM and served as the Head Baseball Coach. He also
coached Softball, Cross Country, and Football through May 2014. His
accolades as a baseball coach included: All Yazoo Herald Coach of the Year (6
times), Region 3-5A Coach of the Year, and coach for North 3A4A5A All Star
Team. At Velma Jackson High School in Camden, MS, he taught STEM/Graphic Design/International Business/ and Personal Finance/Business
Law. While at Velma Jackson, he also held positions as head coach for
Baseball and Slow Pitch Softball teams, Assistant Football Coach and the
Technology Student Association advisor. Gerald taught at Yazoo County
High School in 2015-2016 and was the GED instructor at the Yazoo City
High School in 2016-2017. From 2017 until his health began to fail, he taught
at Yazoo County High School, Velma Jackson High School and was an
instructor at the Yazoo City Alternative School.
As a coach, Gerald was phenomenal! Not only did he excel in molding and
shaping excellent players, many of whom earned college scholarships through
his teaching and encouragement, he excelled in molding and shaping the
minds, attitudes and self-esteem of his players. He held high expectations for
his players, on the diamond, within the classroom and throughout the
community. Gerald also started the Diamond Dolls, a group of female
students, who assisted him faithfully with Baseball related tasks. Coach
Peyton was not only a beloved mentor to his players, both on and off the
field, he was a FRIEND, who listened, counseled, disciplined and demanded
their very best in every dimension of their lives. Most importantly, he
believed in them, taught them to believe in themselves, and showed them by
example, how they could achieve anything they set their minds on doing.
Gerald enjoyed serving his community through participation as a leader and
coach in the Summer Youth Sports Program, Yazoo City Community Action,
Dixie Youth Baseball, community flag football team (10-12 year olds), select
sports teams from Yazoo County and Yazoo City, Lifesavers Program, and by
visiting the elderly at the local nursing home. He was passionate about
cooking. Over the years, he developed his own style of cuisine ranging from
flavorful salads to mouthwatering grilled dishes - including his famous
barbeque pulled pork. He thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent sharing his
delectable dishes with the community for various events and occasions, most
notably the tailgates at Valley State.
On June 7, 2020, at 8:36 p.m., Gerald made his final transition surrounded by
family and friends.
Remembering him with love and precious memories are: his mother, Myra
Smith Peyton, Yazoo City, MS, his son, Darius Peyton, Dallas, TX; three
sisters; Greta Peyton Terry (Charles), Jackson, MS, Alva Peyton Taylor,
Yazoo City, MS, and Aldena Peyton Snow; Bentonia, MS; his brothers,
David B. Peyton (Patricia), Yazoo City, MS, and Edd L. Peyton (Kara),
Southhaven, MS; one sister-in-law, Pearl Wales Peyton, Canton, MS;
numerous aunts, uncles, nieces,
nephews, cousins, other relatives,
and friends.
Special thanks to: JaMyra Snow
and Alexandria Brown, two of his
nieces who moved into his home
to care for his daily needs; and to
those wonderful men who came to
his aid: Richard Bass, Joffre
Washington, Mike King, Vince
Jones, Eric Johnson, Timothy
Holmes, Richard Griffin, Carlos
McGee, Franco Whisenton, and
Dennis Wright, who stayed nights
in the hospital, at the home, and/
or visited Gerald to ensure he was
comfortable and also helped with
transportation to his doctors'
appointments.
Gerald is preceded in death by his
father, Judge A.J. Peyton, Jr.; two
brothers, Alva James Peyton, III
and Ronald Burdette Peyton; and
one sister, Dorothy Peyton Gray.