Jerry Wayne McLarty, Ph.D.

Jerry W. McLarty, Ph.D., 85, passed away on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in Shreveport, Louisiana. A graveside service will be held in his honor on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at Rosewood Memorial Park Cemetery, 1884 Farm to Market Rd. 1844, in Longview, Texas. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr. in Shreveport.

Jerry was born January 31,1941 in Brownfield, Texas to James Harvey McLarty and Jewell Ann Kim McLarty.

Jerry was a resident of Shreveport for the last 24 years. Originally from Sunray, TX, he attended college at Texas Tech in Lubbock, TX and married Ann in 1962. They moved to Houston, where he finished his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the University of Houston. He earned his master’s degree in computer science from U of H and his PhD in biomedical sciences (biomathematics) from the UT School of Biomedical Sciences. During that time, he worked at Lockheed Electronics at NASA, helping to get the lunar module to the moon and back, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. They moved their family to Tyler, TX in 1979, where he took a job in cancer research at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. 

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ann McLarty; son, Richard McLarty; and brother, Glen McLarty. Left to cherish his memory is his daughter, Jeri Perez and husband, Andrew; granddaughters, Jennifer Doyle, Ami Parker and husband, Chance, Brandi Blevins and husband, Corey, Christi Burkholder and husband, Josh, and Fiona Perez; grandson, Luke Perez; great-granddaughters, Alivia and Paisley Parker and Everly Blevins; great-grandsons, Richard and Rowan Doyle, Chandler Parker, Cooper Blevins, and Carter McLarty; his treasured companion, Kathleen Hinton; and sister-in-law, Jacquelyn McLarty.

After retiring from the UT Health Center in Tyler in 2002, Jerry and Ann moved to Shreveport, where he became the Director of Cancer Prevention and Control at the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center. In that role, he dedicated himself to expanding free cancer screenings for underserved communities across North Louisiana and to improving outcomes for patients facing cancer. His work touched countless lives and reflected his lifelong commitment to research, prevention, and compassionate care.

Outside of medicine, Jerry embraced his love of music. He became an active member of the Shreveport Opera, singing in the chorus for many productions over the years. The opera community became a second family to him, offering joy, friendship, and creative fulfillment.

After losing Ann in 2021, Jerry continued to sing, finding comfort and purpose in the music he loved. In time, he also found companionship again with Kathleen, a fellow opera lover who brought warmth and happiness back into his life.

Jerry’s passion for fighting cancer never faded; he continued working until his retirement in December 2025. His dedication, generosity, and curiosity shaped a remarkable career and an even more remarkable life.

We will miss Jerry terribly, but we will continue to honor the profound contributions he made to his community, his field, and the people who loved him.