Jerry Wayne Crayton, Sr.

Jerry Wayne Crayton, Sr. was born on July 7, 1940, to his parents Floyd and Viola Crayton in their family home in Mission. He attended Ridgecrest School from 1st - 12th grade.

After graduation from High School, he attended Auto Diesel School in Nashville, TN where he graduated in 1959. He returned to Stanly County and began working at Confederate Motors in Albemarle.

He went on an outing with some of his buddies to Putt Putt in Albemarle, where he met the love of his life, Agnes. After meeting her, he told his buddies, "I'm going to marry her"; which he did on February 26, 1960, in the home of her parents, attended by family and friends.

He took on an Auto Mechanics teaching job at West Stanly High School where he taught student for 32 years and worked in the summers alongside his older brother Keith for his company, Crayton Electric Company. After retiring from his teaching position, he was employed by TCC, Inc. in 2016 as a private contractor to refurbish properties for the company for 7 years, until the business was sold.

In 2003, Jerry and Agnes opened Mimi and Pop's Antique shops in Oakboro, Salisbury and Tennessee. Because he was an avid collector of cars, it was during this time that Jerry had a vision of starting up what he would call The Cruise In, to take place in Oakboro, NC.

Jerry had numerous accomplishments in his life, and one of the biggest was later in his life when he started the Oakboro Cruise In. Years earlier his dream for the Oakboro Cruise In, not a simple car show or swap meet, but a place and time where folks could come with their families and meet other car, truck, motorcycle and customer car enthusiast to show off their vehicles, discuss their dreams and ideas with each other. He wanted it to be a place where folks could come out and enjoy good, clean "small-town fun".

Since that humble beginning, Jerry's dream has turned into one of the largest Cruise In events in the state, if not the southeast.

Because of his incredible vision and accomplishment with The Cruise In, the Mayor of Oakboro, NC declared by proclamation on Saturday, October 23, 2023, that this would be "Jerry Crayton, Sr. Day" in the town to honor him as the founding father of The Oakboro Cruise In. He received a gold plaque and a commemorative wall clock with The Cruise In 20th Anniversary Logo. The Mayor, City Council and County Commissioner members were present at the presentation of these awards of recognition and appreciation.

On 11/1/25, at 5:08am at Atrium Health Concord, NC, God called His servant, Jerry Crayton, Sr. home.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Agnes Crayton and his son, Jerry Crayton, Jr.; his grandchildren, Mallory, Kyle and Madison Crayton; along with LeMond, Michael, Nathan and Chelsea and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Viola Crayton; sisters, Jackie Thompson and Peggy Smith; brothers, Keith Crayton and Vance Crayton; son, John Crayton and daughter-in-law, Tonya Crayton.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 2pm at Mission Baptist Church.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Crayton family.