Contact Us: (609) 587-9050
Tribute Wall
Plant a tree in memory of John
An environmentally friendly option
Provide comfort for the family by sending flowers or planting a tree in memory of John Kerr.
Guaranteed hand delivery by a local florist
Loading...
E
Eileen Sinclair posted a condolence
Friday, April 22, 2016
It is with gratitude in my heart for his wonderful life that I would like to share some precious memories of my father and his family.
John Joseph Kerr was born the sixth child of eight children: four boys and four girls. The eldest two children, Viola and Edna died during childhood, leaving six children, Anna, Bill, Eddie, John, Joe and Veronica. All lived in a three bedroom row house at 1622 Genesee Street in Trenton, NJ - four boys in one room, two girls in another and their parents in the third bedroom.
John enjoyed music and became very adept at playing the piano, harmonica and even the guitar by ear. He often played the piano after dinner when his children were growing up and during family gatherings at his parents' house after he and his siblings were married. Christmas at Grandmom's house was filled with music. John would play and everyone would sing. Uncle Eddie added the sounds of horses as we sang Jingle Bells while Grandmom Kerr prepared dessert in the kitchen.
John's father, William, was one of three children. His brother, George, was known to be very short and enlisted in the Ringling Brothers Circus as a Magician. His sister, Elizabeth, was very tall, on the other hand, and grew to 5'7" inches.
John's mother, Anna, was one of four siblings, all girls, born in Silesian, Germany. Her parents came to the United States when Anna was only two years old. The eldest sibling remained in Germany throughout her life and became a nun for the Catholic Church. Her sister, Frieda was four when they left Germany. They left Bremer Haven in November, 1889 and arrived in April 1890. I cannot imagine riding those rough winter seas with a two and four year old!
Aunt Frieda played vaudeville piano for silent movies before there was sound, and never married. Her sister, Martha, married a gentleman named William and lived right next door to Anna. Both sisters raised their children in the city of Trenton. Martha's husband was called Bill to avoid confusion between the two husbands who bore the same first name. It was a great time being raised next door to first cousins while growing up. As John and his siblings had their own families, the grandchildren also played together when families visited. I remember those wonderful times, visiting with grandparents, playing with cousins and eating German food!
John grew to be a tall, dark handsome young man. During high school he took the Commercial course of study and became a very fast typist and stenographer. He noted that he could type more than 60 words per minute and take shorthand at more than 120 words per minute.
He was called to the US Navy just prior to graduating from high school. One week prior to graduation, John went to Camden, NJ to enlist in the Navy in June, 1943. He returned home to finish his last week in high school and then embarked in the Navy for 3 years, 11 months and 7 days. He became known as a Yeoman, which is now known as a Sergeant. His rank allowed him to go ashore when the ship docked; he never had to do "watch" during docking days.
His initial tour of duty took him from Norfolk, Virginia through the Panama Canal on the brand new USS Carrol 171.
During his tour of duty, John was also aboard another ship, the USS Bright DE747 destroyer escort. On May 13th 1945 the destroyer escort came under fire from a from a kamikaze flyer at 7:19 p.m. John's fellow crew members responded by shooting at the plane with a 40 mm gun and knocked the plane out of the air, hitting the Jap Zero plane and causing it to fall to the back or "fan tail" of the ship! The "Zero" exploded upon impact detonating the bomb that was on the plane! The warship immediately lost steering control with her rudder jammed in a hard left turn. The after (rear) engine room was completely demolished, port and starboard depth charge tracks were inoperable, her smoke generators pierced, the main deck buckled and pierced, three compartments of her hull opened to the sea and the USS Bright circled for the next hour. During all of the fighting and extreme danger John was on deck, saw the entire scene, but was not injured.
The USS Bright was then towed to Kerama Island southwest of Japan for emergency repairs. Then the USS Bright got underway in convoy on May 22nd and arrived at Pearl Harbor on June 14th for 2-3 days for rest and relaxation prior to heading to Portland, Oregon where the destroyer escort underwent extensive repairs and alterations between June 23rd and September 8th, 1945.
The war ended while the USS Bright was in the yard, and so the USS Bright received orders to steam via the Panama Canal to the Atlantic.
The destroyer took its final journey to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where it was turned over to the French on November 11th, 1950.
It was during the time the ship was being repaired, John met Cecilia Marie Thompson at a roller skating rink as John was enjoying some free time on land during the repair of his ship. Cecilia fell while skating and John, being a valiant gentleman, skated to her side and helped her to her feet.
Being a Yeoman gave John another privilege. He told me he was able to "discharge himself"! He signed his own discharge papers and then carried them to his ranking superior for final approval and signature.
John proposed to Cecilia during those short three months in Portland, Oregon and Cecilia accepted John's proposal at once! Soon after John left for home, Cecilia left Idaho on a plane bound for New Jersey. John and Cecilia married in Trenton, New Jersey August 31, 1946 in the Catholic church of Holy Angels located on Broad Street only two blocks from his childhood home. They had a quiet family dinner at John's parent's home after the wedding ceremony followed by a small reception in the basement of the church.
There were many family picnics and fun times between Aunt Martha's family (his mother's sister) and his own family. John enjoyed a rich family heritage, which he passed on to his own family as he raised his three children.
John worked at DeLaval Turbomachinery in Trenton, New Jersey. One day a manager came to him and a few other men and asked if anyone knew how to type. John's hand went up immediately! He had kept up with his typing speed while in the Navy and used to race against other men to see who could type the fastest. During his employment at DeLaval, he helped to make glass for the Queen Mary passenger ship while working the night shift. He helped to move the huge machinery by moving the rollers underneath from the back to the front of the machine, ever so slowly moving the machine from one location to another.
John and Cecilia raised three children, two girls and a boy. I was the oldest and took the middle name of Cecilia, after my mother. Jonell's name was a combination of Cecilia's brother Joe's name and her best friend, Nellie. Ronald came last and was treasured as the boy who could carry the family name.
The children enjoyed many happy times listening to John play the piano, organ, guitar and the harmonica in their home during holidays and whenever visitors came. John often took his harmonica with him when he visited others in their homes and would play songs while everyone sang along.
John was known as "Cake" or "Johnny Cake" when growing up because he loved sweets so much, though one could never tell that he ate so much since he was always so slim. He also loved to make butter and raw onion sandwiches, among other unusual favorites. Once he sent Ronald off to school with a sandwich made of green beans and mayonnaise! Needless to say, Ronald received a lot of teasing that day!
John had a loving and caring heart. He once drove the family's little Chihuahua to the vet with tears in his eyes after he inadvertently stepped on part of the little dog. He was also the one who took his daughter, Eileen to the doctor on Christmas Eve for an emergency visit.
Once when I came to visit him at Concord Place in North Carolina I asked him if we could go to his room to visit. He said - wait a minute! He explained that he wanted to play a song for a woman in a wheelchair nearby. He said she was not happy that day and he wanted to play for her to cheer her up. He continued to play songs for her until she went on down the hall.
He asked the social coordinator at Concord Place if he could teach religion. Soon, he was on the calendar and he taught Primary lessons for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints every week to those who were in his class. I would send him the lessons that I taught, complete with handouts! It was at that time that the church was encouraging everyone to be a missionary - and my father took that counsel quite seriously - even while at an assisted living home!
He brought smiles to everyone's faces with his funny sayings and his rolling eyes. He knew how to turn a solemn day into a happy one with his talent for making people smile. He made friends easily and was loved by all who knew him.
He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was about 45 years old. He tells everyone that he has held "every calling" except bishop. He has served well and held his last calling as the second counselor in the Sunday School in his ward in Jarrettown, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 2010. As part of his calling he handed out the program each Sunday. Though he suffered from Parkinson's disease, he rose early each week to be at church a half hour early so that he could pass out the programs.
John and Cecilia were sealed in the St. George Temple in Utah in May, 1969 for all time and eternity. They lived a rich and full life together. They loved to dance and joined a square dance group while living in Huntingdon Valley. They loved to have people come to their home and often had family and friends visit, always offering them a meal or dessert. Both John and Cecilia could make wonderful meals and desserts!
Cecilia passed away April 15, 2004 in Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. During the days leading to her death, John drove to be by her side every day at lunch time to visit her and be sure she had enough to eat.
John was an outstanding example of a son, brother, husband, father, pop pop, neighbor and friend. He was the perfect summation of all that is good and kind. When we think of John, we think of his infectious smile, funny jokes and his love of music.
The role of a father is more than being the head of the house. It is one of influence and example. It is through John's example that we have come to know and love all that is good. Each of us who have crossed paths with John will always remember him for his love of life and family.
We are all better for having known him. I am quite certain that his influence will stretch far beyond his years here on the earth. Children and grandchildren will remember him as the man "who played music". Those at the nursing home will remember him as the "candy man" because he always had a piece of candy to share.
John leaves three children, 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He was visited by all of them during the last years of his life while in North Carolina. The nurses at the nursing home once remarked how impressed they were that so many came from so far to see him. I just smiled and said that he is very loved!
He was my protector. He instilled confidence in me. He helped me set goals and always told me that if I worked hard enough, I would reach my goals. His sacrifices to help me, my brother and my sister through life are truly a blessing.
May we always cherish and honor his memory and his loving example of patience, caring, and giving as we go forward - as those who knew him - and as we continue influence others through the legacy he left, as we continue to raise our own children and set examples for our grandchildren.
We will miss him and remember him always.
I am grateful for having been blessed to be a daughter of this wonderful man that I knew as my father.
Lovingly Written by
Eileen Sinclair
April 18, 2016
OUR LOCATION
30 Yardville Allentown Road
Hamilton, New Jersey
08620
Phone: (609) 587-9050
Email: derricofuneralhome@aol.com
