John F. ‘Jack’ Kerr – Rostraver Township

John F. “Jack’’ Kerr, 95, of Rostraver Township, died Friday, March 1, 2019. Born in Ellwood City on July 22, 1923, he was the son of the late Charles J. and Effie Sulia Kerr. The Kerr family moved to New Kensington, where Jack attended St. Joseph School and graduated from Ken Hi in 1941. His family then moved to Monessen, where he was employed at the Monessen Daily Independent. After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Pennsylvania Reserve Defense Corps and was called into federal service. After basic training at Camp Wheeler, Ga., he stayed there as a cadet instructor.  Jack volunteered for the 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops and was assigned to Camp Hale, Colo., for mountain training. He was selected for Infantry Officer School at Fort Benning, Ga. After being commissioned, he served on battle courses at several camps, then overseas on Morothi in the South Pacific, the Philippines and Okinawa, reaching the rank of captain. He attended Penn State and California Teachers College after his service and was appointed mechanical superintendent at the Valley Independent. He was a founder of the Monessen Midget Football League, serving as president and coach and was a member of the Monessen Ravens Semi-Pro Football Team that won the Steel Valley Championship in 1948. He was a past member of Hilltop Fire Co. and was a first aid instructor. Jack helped found Holy Cross Church in Webster, directing the first choir at their first midnight Mass and contributed at the Webster Fire Hall. He was a member of Thomas McKee Post 28 American Legion and the Belle Vernon VFW. He was also a Fourth Degree Knight in the K of C and was a member of Monessen Council No 954. He was active in the Church of St. Anne, serving as a lector, eucharistic minister, CCD catechist, and sang in the church choir. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Rose Marie Yost Kerr, whom he married on July 3, 1948; son, John Kerr (Lee Fleming) of Mobile, Ala.; daughter, Kimberly Kerr Gilbert (John Kavulick) of Rostraver Township; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Edward, who served with the Pennsylvania State Police for 28 years; and sister Mary Rose “Bebe” Armstrong. Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at JAMES C. STUMP FUNERAL HOME INC., 580 Circle Drive, Rostraver Township, 724-929-7934, www.jamesstumpfuneralhome.com, where a blessing service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, followed by a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at Church of St. Anne, Rostraver Township, with the Rev. Vincent J. Gigliotti presiding. Interment, with military honors, will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Thomas McKee Post 28 American Legion will conduct a service at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home followed, by a service conducted by the K of C Monessen Council No 954.