After earning an MBA from the University of Cincinnati, J. W. (Jerry) Burgess served in executive positions in various nonprofit hospitals, culminating with the founding of a health insurance compa...view moreAfter earning an MBA from the University of Cincinnati, J. W. (Jerry) Burgess served in executive positions in various nonprofit hospitals, culminating with the founding of a health insurance company that provided coverage to low-income individuals. During the last 50 years, Jerry also pursued his passion-his calling-for studying theology and philosophy. In 2019, he fulfilled a longtime dream of enrolling in a graduate degree program at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville. After the discovery in 2020 that he had colon cancer, he concentrated his Vanderbilt studies in creative writing, ultimately producing this book of essays dedicated to his daughters. Jerry and his wife, Melanie, live in Knoxville, Tennessee, with their mischievous dog, Jackson. They have four daughters and two grandchildren.view less