Ann Kerr

May 11, 1917 – July 23, 2016

Ann Kerr, 99, was born to Michael and Elizabeth (Griffith Kramer) Lewellen in the family’s farm house outside of Downs, Wash. on May 11, 1917 and passed away from a stroke on July 23, 2016 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She was the seventh of nine children (Ted, Alvin, Ceicel, Clarence, Richard, Myrtle, Ann, Dan, Grace Kramer) and attended elementary school in Downs and Lamona area close to Ritzville, Wash. She attended Toledo, Wash. and Ferndale, Wash. high schools, graduating from Ferndale High School in 1935. Ann married Morley Kerr Feb. 9, 1936, making their home in the Lower Yakima Valley, raising five children.

They farmed there for many years moving to Othello in the mid-1950s, retiring in the late ’70s. Ann and Morley joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in January of 1954 and both were very active in the Sunnyside, Moses Lake and Othello, Wash. SDA churches. Some of Mrs. Kerr’s leadership roles were Deaconess, Sabbath School Superintendent and Church Treasurer, but the role she enjoyed and loved the most was being Pathfinder Leader. She took kids on outings of all kinds, camping and Pathfinder camporees. She taught many classes in honor badges, earning many herself. In 1975-76 Ann and Morley participated in the Bicentennial Wagon Train going from Blaine, Wash. to Valley Forge, Penn., traveling in a mule-drawn covered wagon. After returning Ann wrote a book, “Eastward Ho,” about their experience.

At age 90 she moved to Pendleton, Ore. to live with daughter Sandy and family. Mrs. Kerr was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Morley Kerr; all eight of her siblings; two daughters Nila (Kerr) Cusic, and Janice Eastridge; three sons-in-law George Price Colley, Robert (Bob) Eastridge and Orv Simmons and two great-grandsons, Bobby Jo (BJ) Eastridge and Terry Lee Eastridge.

Ann is survived by daughters Shirley Colley of Othello and Sandy (Mike) Burrows of Pendleton, Ore. and one son, Marvin (Joyce) Kerr Sr. of Jupiter, Fla.

Funeral arrangements will be held at 11 a.m. on Aug. 8, 2016, at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Othello, Wash. To leave an online condolence to the family, please visit www.stevensfc.com.