BATON ROUGE - Reverend Dr. Jesse Bilberry Jr., a longtime administrator at Southern University and local pastor, has died, university officials said Saturday.

Bilberry's tenure at the university spanned 15 years. He was the first director of Southern's Freshman Complex and later went on to direct the school's first Office of High School Relations before taking on the role of admissions director.

He retired from the university to assume the pastorate of Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Scotlandville, where he pastored for more than 35 years.

Gov. Edwin Edwards and Gov. Mike Foster both appointed Bilberry to the Southern University Board of Supervisors.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Southern in 1951, a Master of Education from Louisiana State University in 1957 and a Master of Theology and Doctorate of Theology from the Christian Bible College in 1988 and 1990, respectively. He also served in the U.S. Army.

"Rev. Bilberry committed his life to all aspects of education and was dedicated to Southern University as an administrator, member of the Board of Supervisors, and as a strong community partner and advocate," said Dennis J. Shields, president-chancellor of the Southern University System.