Cecil D Kerr

Cecil D Kerr, 93 of Onalaska, WI, passed away at his home on Sunday, July 26, 2015. He was born in Pleasant Hope, Missouri on April 5, 1922 to Troy and Katie (Tharp) Kerr. His parents moved Rockport, Missouri when he was six months old. They lived on a farm during a time when the great depression was in full swing. Cec started working in the fields at the age of nine. So small that he had to stand on a box to saddle a horse. His father died in a tragic accident when Cec was twelve. They moved to town where he began delivering the Kansas City Star two times a day. He also worked in a service station and several different jobs until he graduated from Rockport High School in 1940.

He left home to “spread his wings” working at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, California. He moved to Omaha, Nebraska to work at the Glenn L. Martin bomber plant where he met his future wife. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served two and a half years in France and England. When he returned home, he married Regina (Jean) Young in Omaha on July 30, 1945. She preceded him in death on November 23, 2014. They would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this week.

He began working for Skelly Oil Company in the Skelgas Division in Omaha. Was transferred to Bridgeport, Nebraska to open a new plant. In 1949, he became manager of the Skelgas plant in La Crosse. When the plant was sold, he was transferred to Richland Center, Wisconsin where he worked until his retirement at the age of sixty. He joined the Kiwanis and enjoyed working on their many projects. When he moved back to Onalaska in 1990, he joined the American Legion and volunteered at Gundersen Lutheran for several years.

Cec loved gardening, fishing, card playing and the Green Bay Packers. He and Jean loved to gamble and had great fun at it.

He is survived by his daughter, Terry (Mik Derks) Kerr of Ridgeway, Wisconsin, and their children, Asa Derks of Spring Green, Wisconsin and Noah (Stacy Amble) Derks of Madison, Wisconsin; his son, Stephen (Anna) Kerr of La Crosse, Wisconsin and his children, Lindsay (Trey) Anderson of West Salem, Wisconsin, Jenna (Mike) Paglini of La Crosse, Wisconsin and Sean (Melissa) Kerr of Onalaska, Wisconsin and Anna’s son, Giuseppe Quaresima of Thunder Bay, Canada; great grandchildren Vanessa Kerr-Forbes, Theo and Aria Anderson and Jonah and Logan Paglini.

In addition to the love of his life and best friend, Jean, he was preceded in death by his three brothers, Lester (Katherine) Kerr, Virgil (Mary) Kerr and infant brother Bonnie Kerr; and his sister Hazel (Herbert) Madron and nephews, Arthur Dale and Herbert Kay Madron.

A celebration of his life will be held at 11 am on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services La Crosse chapel, 200 West Ave. South with visitation beginning at 10 am. Pastor Ted Dewald will officiate. Private family burial will take place at a later date.