Jesse Miller Chase Jr. passed away peacefully on March 21, 2025, in Fort Worth, at the age of 82. He was born on April 29, 1942, in Frankfort, Ind., to Jesse Miller Chase Sr. and Evelyn “Garnett” Rainey Chase.
As a young child, Jesse moved with his family to Jackson, where he grew up in the Belhaven neighborhood. He had fond memories of that time—exploring the streets, making lifelong friends, and, as he’d admit with a grin, getting into the occasional bit of mischief. He graduated from Murrah High School in 1960, then went on to attend the University of Mississippi.
At Ole Miss, Jesse became a proud member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, serving as vice president his senior year. His time in Oxford was marked by both achievement and loss—shortly after arriving, his father passed away. Jesse never forgot how his Sigma Nu brothers supported him through that difficult time. Years later, when his own sons and grandsons pledged Sigma Nu, he was overwhelmed with pride knowing they had become part of the same brotherhood.
Jesse graduated in 1964 with a degree in business and soon after passed the CPA exam. He began his career as an accountant and later transitioned into a long, successful career as a stockbroker. Over the years, he worked with Morgan Keegan & Company, Merrill Lynch, and J.C. Bradford, earning the respect of clients and colleagues alike.
In the early 1990s, Jesse followed in the footsteps of his father-in-law, James E. Dickard, and began a second career as a home builder. He continued in that work until 2010, when he and his wife Lavonne relocated to Fort Worth, to be closer to their daughter Rachel and to work alongside his son-in-law in the pharmacy business.
Faith was always a part of Jesse’s life. He was raised attending First Christian Church in Jackson and later became a devoted member of St. James Episcopal Church, where he was actively involved in the youth programs and parish life.
Jesse was known for his warmth, his charm, and his ability to connect with just about anyone—he truly never met a stranger. He lived life fully, without a bucket list, always embracing the moment. He treasured deep conversations with his best friend Larry Cox, had a passion for travel, scuba diving, snow skiing, cutting a rug on the dance floor with anyone willing and was an avid reader. But some of his most cherished memories came from time spent on the water—weekends on his boat at the Reservoir with Lavonne and the kids, surrounded by family and friends, were his happy place.
Jesse is preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Garnett Chase, and by his son, Ryan Maloney Chase.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 36 years, Lavonne Dickard Chase; his son Gene Chase (Jennifer); his daughter Rachel Johnson Spence (Sander); his sister Carole Harvey (Jim); grandchildren Andrew (Marti), Connor, Ryan, Sam, O’Neal, Hayes, and Hailey Chase; and Walker and Madeline Spence.
A celebration of Jesse’s life will be held on Saturday, May 24th at 3:30 p.m. at the home of Gene and Jennifer Chase, 303 Covington Cove, Madison. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. James Episcopal Church and the Alzheimer’s Association.
