October 2, 2026
JESUP, Ga. — To pastors across southeast Georgia, Jack Lee was a faithful shepherd, a soul winner, and a trusted friend. To many in Wayne County, he was simply known as “the pope of Wayne County,” an unofficial title reflecting the extraordinary respect he earned across denominational lines and throughout the broader community.
Lee, longtime pastor of Altamaha Baptist Church at Madray Springs and former pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, died Saturday, May 23, at age 68 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Those who knew him best say his legacy extends far beyond the churches he pastored or the committees on which he served.
He was a man who loved God deeply, preached faithfully until the very end, and cared for people wherever he found them.
“He was considered by many to be a community pastor because he would just be there for folks,” said Vann Dempsey, a close friend and fellow pastor who knew Lee for three decades. “If someone reached out and they needed him, he would go and listen to them and talk with them. He just had a servant’s heart.”
Dempsey met Lee shortly after arriving in Jesup in 1996. At the time, Lee was serving at Memorial Baptist Church. Over the years, the two pastors traveled together to Georgia Baptist and Southern Baptist Convention meetings, partnered in associational ministry and mission work, shared meals, and developed what Dempsey described as a genuine lifelong friendship.
“We became friends, not just fellow ministers,” Dempsey said. “He was the kind of friend who you could just call up and go eat lunch or spend time together.”
That relational spirit extended far beyond the walls of his church. Lee became known throughout Wayne County as a pastor who could connect with virtually anyone.
“You could be comfortable around him whether you were a minister or just a church member,” Dempsey said. “He reached across denominational lines.”
Greg Bentley, associational mission strategist for the Hebron Baptist Association and another longtime friend, said Lee’s influence stemmed from his integrity and authenticity.
“He was a pastor and shepherd,” Bentley said. “He was a man of integrity. He was a soul winner.”
Bentley said Lee never sought recognition, but naturally became a respected voice among pastors and ministry leaders throughout the region.
“He didn’t demand respect. He earned respect,” Bentley explained. “When he spoke, it was almost like the E.F. Hutton moment — people listened.”
Lee’s ministry stretched well beyond Southern Baptist life. He served as chairman of the Wayne County Christian Ministerial Association and built friendships with pastors from numerous denominations. Local law enforcement officers, civic leaders, businesspeople, and community members all knew him as someone who cared deeply for people.
“He was just well respected in the county, among churchgoers and non-churchgoers,” Dempsey said.
Though widely respected, friends say Lee never lost the heart of a local pastor. He remained deeply committed to evangelism and missions throughout his ministry. Under his leadership, Altamaha Baptist Church gave sacrificially through the Cooperative Program and maintained a strong missions emphasis, including numerous trips to Haiti and other mission opportunities.
“He loved the lost,” Dempsey said. “He wanted to see people saved.”
That evangelistic passion remained evident even during his battle with Stage 4 cancer.
Doctors discovered cancer in Lee’s liver, colon, and lungs in 2020. At one point, physicians believed he might only have a year or two to live. Yet even through chemotherapy and worsening health, Lee continued preaching whenever physically possible.
“He didn’t let it slow him down,” Bentley said.
After retiring from Altamaha Baptist in 2021, Lee later returned to interim ministry at First Baptist Church in Jesup and continued preaching in churches throughout the area, filling pulpits and encouraging congregations. “He loved the Lord, and he was going to continue to preach and serve as long as he could,” Dempsey said.
“He not only preached the Word, but he lived the Word,” Bentley said.
During the construction of Altamaha Baptist Church’s sanctuary, Dempsey said, Lee did something that perfectly reflected his desire to be a faithful preacher. “He talked with the contractor,” Dempsey said, “and found out where the pulpit area was going to be. He got a bible and put it in a bag, and he had a Bible buried in the concrete where the pulpit would be.”
Dempsey explained, “He would often talk about standing on the Word when preaching.”
Friends mentioned the deep love he shared with his wife, Lynn, and the joy he found in his daughters and grandchildren. Dempsey recalled that one of Lee’s personal goals during his cancer battle was reaching his 50th wedding anniversary with Lynn this July.
“He loved his family,” Dempsey said. “He loved his church family too, and he loved and ministered to them.”
Outside the pulpit, Lee loved fishing, baseball, and spending time with his family. “He loved fishing,” Dempsey said. “But not only did he fish for natural fish, he was a fisher of men as well.”
Even amid physical suffering, Lee remained focused on serving others and encouraging fellow pastors.
“He touched so many lives,” Dempsey said.
Bentley believes Lee’s influence across southeast Georgia came from the consistency of his life and ministry over many years.
“He was genuine,” Bentley said. “People knew he cared about them. They knew he loved Jesus.”
Georgia Baptists will remember Lee as a faithful pastor and denominational leader. Those who knew him personally know he was much more — a shepherd who loved people well, served faithfully, laughed often, preached boldly, and pointed others to Christ until the very end.
“He’s going to be greatly missed,” Dempsey said.
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