Jerry Kimmel, 88, passed away Thursday June 1, 2023, while surrounded by his family at home in Beechmont. Born February 9, 1935, in Ennis, he was the youngest child of Wood Kimmel and Clara Bradley Kimmel.
Jerry had a passion for sports, especially basketball and baseball. He played basketball in high school and started officiating basketball games in 1955. He called his first district tournament game in 1959 and his first state tournament game in 1963. At that time, he was 28 and possibly the youngest person to have officiated a Kentucky State Basketball Tournament. In his 16-year high school basketball officiating career (1956-1972), Jerry worked 15 district and 14 regional tournaments for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA), as well as six KHSAA Sweet 16 State Tournaments. He also umpired for three KHSAA State Baseball Tournaments.
Although an accomplished basketball and baseball official, his contributions in the areas of assigning, training, and recruiting basketball officials for 40 years until his retirement in 2012 will remain his legacy.
In response to a federally mandated court order in 1971 that took assigning of officials from local schools to regional assigning secretaries, Jerry was selected by the KHSAA to lead the way with this effort in the 3rd Region. In addition to assigning officials, Jerry provided improved instruction to the state’s officials and recruited new officials. He implemented reviews for officials and courtside charting of officials calls. He was a pioneer in the use of video for evaluating and training officials.
Jerry was basketball assigning secretary for the third region from 1972 to 1988 when he was appointed one of four statewide sectional directors of officials. He held that position for four years then served another eight years (2004 to 2012) as basketball assigning secretary for the fourth region. He also served as baseball assigning secretary for the third region from 1972 to 1982. In addition, he served as lead evaluator of officials for both the boys and girls state tournaments for several years.
Jerry’s six appearances as an official in the KHSAA Sweet 16 opened the doors for him at the collegiate level. He was a basketball official in five collegiate conferences over a 20-year period including the SEC, OVC, Missouri Valley, Metro and the Great Lakes Valley Conferences and the assigning secretary for the Great Lakes Valley Conference from 1987 to 2004.
Jerry’s influence on officiating in Kentucky and the surrounding states is evident by the number of officials he has helped to train who are working key collegiate and high school games to this day. He took great pride in seeing young officials that he mentored progress from junior high and high school officiating to the collegiate level.
Jerry was inducted into the Dawahares/Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1993, the National High School Hall of Fame in 2013, the Muhlenberg County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 and the 3rd Region Officials Association Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jerry was a 1953 graduate of Hughes Kirk High School and attended Western Kentucky State College. He spent the early part of his career working as an Insurance Agent for Commonwealth Life Insurance Company and Life Investors. Prior to his retirement, he worked for the Muhlenberg County Board of Education for 21 years in the Maintenance Department.
In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by brothers Wood Bradley Kimmel, Charles Byram Kimmel, Lois Kimmel, Morris Hayden Kimmel, Bobby Lee Kimmel and sisters Luro Elizabeth Hieken, Martha Nell Carver and Patty Sue Norris.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Maxine; daughter Jennifer Carr and son-in-law Jon Carr of Shell Knob, Mo.; grandson Christopher Kimmel Carr and grand-daughter-in-law Megan Carr of Davidson, N.C.; great-grandsons Grayson Jon and Mark Levett Carr; brother Gene Kimmel of Beechmont; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Saturday June 3, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Tucker Funeral Home in Central City, with Julian Tackett officiating, assisted by Jerry Winters. Burial will be in the Old Jackson Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.tuckerfuneralhomes.com
