In Memory

Mr. Gary Kerr (Art)

Mr. Gary Kerr (Art)

Gary Edsil Kerr, 83, Tuscaloosa, AL, passed away on April 2, 2022 at home. A funeral Mass will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Tom Ackerman and Father Ray Dunmyer officiating. Burial will follow at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Judson Kerr; and mother, Dossie Elmore Kerr.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Price Kerr; daughter, Tracy Johnson (Chipper Hoyt); son, Paul Kerr (Melissa); brothers, Gene Harold Kerr (Janice) and Paul Dudley Kerr (Dianne).

Born in Reform on May 6, 1938, sports (mostly football) and Saturday movies were an important part of his young life. Assisting his older brother in the projection booth led to his love of movies, particularly western movies. He and his brothers re-enacted perilous situations from the movies, leaving Gary with humorous stories he loved relaying. Being from Reform (and actually attending Pickens County High School), he loved telling people he went to "Reform School".

In 1956, Gary enrolled in the University of Alabama, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art Education. While there, he met Mary Price in a printmaking class and they married in 1965.

In 1960, Gary began his teaching career at Tuscaloosa High School, (renamed Central High School East), retiring from the same classroom in 1999. Many former students recently shared how much they enjoyed having him as a teacher. Former students commented that he was patient and kind, encouraging and inspiring. "He was never critical." He had a true dedication to his students and he genuinely cared about them. He enjoyed running into former students and learning how they were and what careers they had chosen.

Much of Gary's retirement was spent traveling with family and friends. He also enjoyed time in his second home in Gulf Shores, AL.

Gary loved to laugh, and would often laugh so hard while telling a story that he couldn't be understood. His dry sense of humor was evident in his cartoons, which presented a play on words. PUNishing, if you will

His interest in history, UFOs, movies and Alabama football resulted in a vast mastery of trivia. He enjoyed that he was never stumped on movie trivia.

Anyone who spent, even a little time with him, knew that he was a huge fan of John Wayne. But not even "The Duke" could take center stage from his family. His wife, children, and grandchildren were the light of is life.

With so much creative talent, one might expect Gary to have had ambitions of publication or dreams of commercial notoriety, but his true ambition was to be a husband, father, friend and teacher.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, Satchell Watts-Kerr, Jackson Green, Price Johnson and Drake Johnson; and nephews, Kerry Kerr and Gwen Kerr.

Honorary pallbearers are Richard Rhone; and granddaughter, Maddie Johnson.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Catholic Family Service Center, or a charity of choice.

The funeral Mass will be live streamed at stfrancisuofa.com.

 

Gary Edsil Kerr, 83, Tuscaloosa, AL, passed away on April 2, 2022 at home. A funeral Mass will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Tom Ackerman and Father Ray Dunmyer officiating. Burial will follow at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Judson Kerr; and mother, Dossie Elmore Kerr.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Price Kerr; daughter, Tracy Johnson (Chipper Hoyt); son, Paul Kerr (Melissa); brothers, Gene Harold Kerr (Janice) and Paul Dudley Kerr (Dianne).

Born in Reform on May 6, 1938, sports (mostly football) and Saturday movies were an important part of his young life. Assisting his older brother in the projection booth led to his love of movies, particularly western movies. He and his brothers re-enacted perilous situations from the movies, leaving Gary with humorous stories he loved relaying. Being from Reform (and actually attending Pickens County High School), he loved telling people he went to "Reform School".

In 1956, Gary enrolled in the University of Alabama, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art Education. While there, he met Mary Price in a printmaking class and they married in 1965.

In 1960, Gary began his teaching career at Tuscaloosa High School, (renamed Central High School East), retiring from the same classroom in 1999. Many former students recently shared how much they enjoyed having him as a teacher. Former students commented that he was patient and kind, encouraging and inspiring. "He was never critical." He had a true dedication to his students and he genuinely cared about them. He enjoyed running into former students and learning how they were and what careers they had chosen.

Much of Gary's retirement was spent traveling with family and friends. He also enjoyed time in his second home in Gulf Shores, AL.

Gary loved to laugh, and would often laugh so hard while telling a story that he couldn't be understood. His dry sense of humor was evident in his cartoons, which presented a play on words. PUNishing, if you will

His interest in history, UFOs, movies and Alabama football resulted in a vast mastery of trivia. He enjoyed that he was never stumped on movie trivia.

Anyone who spent, even a little time with him, knew that he was a huge fan of John Wayne. But not even "The Duke" could take center stage from his family. His wife, children, and grandchildren were the light of is life.

With so much creative talent, one might expect Gary to have had ambitions of publication or dreams of commercial notoriety, but his true ambition was to be a husband, father, friend and teacher.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, Satchell Watts-Kerr, Jackson Green, Price Johnson and Drake Johnson; and nephews, Kerry Kerr and Gwen Kerr.

Honorary pallbearers are Richard Rhone; and granddaughter, Maddie Johnson.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Catholic Family Service Center, or a charity of choice.

The funeral Mass will be live streamed at stfrancisuofa.com.