FRANKLIN—James Ernest Wrenn Jr., 85, departed peacefully June 3, 2012, surrounded by his family.

Mr. Wrenn graduated from Varina High School near Richmond and earned a B.S. Degree in Agriculture Education from Virginia Tech.

He was an agriculture teacher at Surry High School and an agricultural extension agent in Dinwiddie and Southampton counties.

Mr. Wrenn served his country in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.

He was a member of Franklin Baptist Church and a former longtime member of Millfield Baptist Church, Ivor Ruritan Club, the Southampton Historical Society, and Agriculture and Forestry Museum Committee.

Mr. Wrenn loved baseball, working in the yard and volunteering at the Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum.

He was predeceased by his parents, Rev. James Ernest Wrenn Sr. and Mattie Guthrie Wrenn; his daughters, Susan and Melinda; and a son, Jimmy.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, E. Anne Stagg Wrenn; two sons, Chuck Wrenn and wife, Renee, and Mike Wrenn and wife, Meredith; sister, Mary Elizabeth Grizzard of Richmond; and grandchildren, Brad, Brent, Emily and Morgan Wrenn.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 7, 2012, at Franklin Baptist Church with the Rev. Brent Kimlick and the Rev. Sharon James officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Poplar Spring Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Wright Funeral Home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and suggests memorials may be made to Franklin Baptist Church, 208 North High Street Franklin, Va., 23851; Millfield Baptist Church, 31389 Millfield Road Wakefield, Va., 23888; or the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 849, Salem, Va., 24153. www.wrightfuneralhome.org.