Mr. Jim Kerr, 77, was engaged in his final deer hunt with his grandson when he was strickened on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019.

On March 22, 1942, James Lee Kerr was born in Marshall County. He was a treasured son of Robert A. and Isabel Stifel Kerr. As one of the six Kerr children, growing up he shared his childhood with four sisters and a brother. He graduated from Richland Center High School in 1960.

In Aubbeenaubbee Township, he married the love of his life, Miss Frances Louise Burrough. They shared nearly 60 years of life’s adventures. From their union came three beautiful daughters: Elizabeth, Deborah and Dana. The family tree continued to grow with the added blessings of eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

As a talented project engineer, he was in management at Sealed Power/Dana Corporation for four decades retiring in 2001. When Crime Stoppers was established, he served the group as president. He was a member of CASA and was a HAM radio operator known by the handle of KC9OCI. He was a football fanatic enjoying all levels of the game, but Notre Dame was his favorite team. He was a certified instructor of the DNR’s hunter safety education classes.

Mr. Kerr was the proud owner of a unique collection of LED flashlights. He also collected post cards from all over the world. The “7-P Principle” was a motto he lived by.

With the heart of an avid American sportsman, he enjoyed all forms of activities hunting, fishing and camping outdoors. In the early years with Fran, he taught the girls the fine art of fishing and methods of tying bank lines on the shores of the Tippecanoe. He was so very proud of his three daughters as they all could catch, clean and cook the daily limit with great expertise. He instilled the respect and responsibility of firearms and their proper use, to the intricacies of deer hunting with cross-bow or the compound bow. After perfecting their techniques the family made many memories camping out under the starlit skies, salmon fishing and elk hunting in Oregon, and bear hunting in Canada. He once observed his granddaughter knock one down, dropping the buck on her first shot.

Left to cherish Jim Kerr’s memory are his wife Fran, at home: three daughters: Elizabeth (Phil) Nicklaus, Deborah (Todd) Howard, Dana (Darrell) Bright, all of Rochester; eight grandchildren: Brandy (Donnie) Miller, Kyle (Carri) Howard, Seth (Brittany) Howard, Aimee Howard and significant other Wes Stevens, Wyatt Bright, Claire Bright and Ethan Bright; ten great-grandchildren; three sisters: Evelyn Seese of Leiters Ford; Donna Raicevic of Kauai, Hawaii; and Judy (Walt) Talbott, Rochester. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive, including special nephews Daniel Massimillo and Doug Kline.

Preceding Mr. Kerr in death are his parents, Robert and Isabel Kerr: a grandson, Briar Nicklaus on Aug. 8, 2015; a brother, Robert Kerr; a sister, Mary Franz and a brother-in-law, Ira Seese.

A celebration of the life of Mr. James Lee “Jim” Kerr will be at 7 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 West 18th Street, Rochester. Chaplain Jason See will officiate. Visitation is from 4 until the time of the service.

Preferred memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to Shop with a Cop, P.O. Box 284, Rochester, IN 46975 or Hunter Education, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 402 West Washington Street, Room W160A, Indianapolis. IN 46204.