John R. Kerr

John R. Kerr, known as Dick to family and friends, had many pleasant memories of his youth growing up in Attica. He often reminisced about early mornings spent bicycling with his older brother, Bob, delivering newspapers to neighbors near their family house on Monroe Street. He recently visited his old home and regaled the current owner with boyhood stories after being invited inside. A special treat for them both.

He shared this home with his mother, Beryl, father Charles, brothers Charles “Bob,” William “Bill” and Paul “Don” and sister Martha. His family later relocated to Greencastle and were joined by twin brothers James “Jim” and Joseph “Joe” and later with an almost generational age difference from John, by Michael “Mike.”

Graduating from Greencastle High School the spring of 1944 during World War II had John and his buddies running down to the Air Force recruiter to enlist. His brother Bob was already serving at a base in the Galápagos Islands but his efforts came to no avail since his Army draft notice was received the following day and the war effort needed infantry soldiers. As a member of the Army’s 78th Infantry Division, his unit fought in Germany as part of the renowned Battle of the Bulge, Adolph Hitler’s last desperate effort to avoid defeat. John contributed to the Allied successes and helped push enemy forces back into the German motherland and their eventual surrender in May 1945. He spent another year in Berlin helping to stabilize the new government and begin rebuilding the defeated nation before returning to the U.S., marrying the girl next door, Laurel Kerr, in 1947.

Taking advantage of the GI Bill and with Laurel’s support, John obtained his bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate from the Indiana Teacher’s College (now Indiana State University). He soon began working as an educator with the Brownsburg schools and doing construction supporting the explosive demand for new homes generated by the booming post war economy while also serving in the Army Reserves even storing a .50-caliber machine gun in their garage. Wars are good for business!

They soon purchased one of those new homes in Brownsburg after expanding their young family to Lynne, Paula and Brian, which made their small, two-bedroom rental home far too cramped. His young family spent a year at Fort Benning, Ga., during the Berlin Crisis in the early 1960s, allowing them to save enough money for the down payment. They were joined by Christopher a couple of years after moving into their lifelong Brownsburg home as a comfortable family of six.

A whirlwind of domestic bliss followed as single-wage earner John worked to keep his family fed, clothed and most importantly, educated. Enrolling his children into the new school opened by his local church, St. Malachy’s, helped ensure his children obtained the academics necessary for successful lives. His educator career flourished with him working for Pike Central Elementary School in Indianapolis as an assistant principal and eventually principal with the added challenge of having the assistant principal position eliminated with his promotion. But the hard lessons learned during his military career had him seeing this as yet another opportunity. The amazing support of Pike Elementary’s teachers and staff ensured it would be a shared success to the student’s benefit. And it was. He always had the biggest smile and warm positive words whenever encountering his former students or teachers.

His children thrived and quickly matured into adults guided by the constant support of a large extended family, religious morals and a dependable Midwestern common sense approach to life. Every family experiences heartache and the early death by cancer of John and Laurel’s newly married eldest daughter, Lynne, at 20 years of age was a disruptive and wrenching shock. But through the wonderful support of family, friends and our dear Lord, John’s family weathered this loss with a sad yet pragmatic acknowledgement that life goes on.

Holidays shared with his siblings and their families were always the memory-filled social highlight throughout the years especially the logistical details of having to accommodate 30-40 relatives for these well remembered gatherings. The 100th Kerr Reunion in 2018, graciously organized for many years by his brother Bill’s family, was the epitome of these once plentiful gatherings and a rare opportunity to actually meet and share life’s experiences with extended family, especially in today’s hectic world.

Retirement provided time for him to travel with Laurel, visiting with widely dispersed family and friends as well as delving into his World War II experiences, which had never been openly discussed, and eventually returning to Europe several times. He contributed to the success of the local Battle of the Bulge organization, including annual reenactments and Veteran’s Day parades. He especially enjoyed joining veteran’s celebrations at elementary schools, allowing students to hear and speak with him while sharing his experiences about this world changing historical event that most kids could never fathom.

Playing volleyball with Laurel and cutting firewood on his Uncle Orville’s wooded farmland kept him physically active into his mid-80s. He also spent a great deal of time helping others. Anyone who asked, he was ready to help. He and Laurel built homes with Habitat for Humanity or went on missions for Calvary Methodist Church to help communities throughout the U.S. But time marches on, even for someone as long-lived as John. He focused the last decade of his life caring for his wife at home eventually with the compassionate assistance of their caregiver, Channa. They were able to enjoy their 75th wedding anniversary together last April, a very rare achievement for any couple and a testament to their commitment for one another. Laurel’s passing last summer left John adrift without his emotional anchor in a home filled with her memories. His grandson, Kyle, selflessly chose to stay with him so he could continue living in his own house where he remained until his last days.

He always approached life with a great sense of wry humor, ready to complement any situation with friendly quip, shared smiles and laughter. It is a powerful legacy that is enjoyed and carried on by his family.

Survivors include daughter Paula Kerr; sons Brian (Bobbi Jo) Kerr and Christopher (Wendy) Kerr; grandchildren Nicole, Ricky, Kyle, Thomas and Taylor; and great-grandchildren Lauren, Macie, Rosie, Aurora and Remington.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Beryl Kerr; sister Martha; brothers Charles, William, Paul, James and Joseph; and daughter Lynne Kerr Dill.

Visitation will be from 9:30-11am Tuesday, April 18 at Matthews Mortuary, Brownsburg, followed by funeral services and mass at 11:30 a.m. in St. Malachy’s Church, Brownsburg. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your local Habitat for Humanity, American Legion or St. Malachy’s Church, Brownsburg.