Horace L. Kerr

Horace Kerr died Sunday, October 11, 2015, at The Arbor in Ridgeland, MS. He was born June 26, 1924, to Willie and Myrtle Kerr of Louisville, MS, where he spent most of his early years and served as president of his high school class. He committed his life to Christ at age 16 and was baptized in the Louisville Baptist Church. He served on a destroyer in the US Navy in the Pacific theater of World War II and graduated from Mississippi College and Southwestern Theological Seminary and later the Jackson School of Law (Mississippi College School of Law). He met Dot Parker at Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson, while a student at Mississippi College, and they were married in 1949. He served as minister of education at Brookside Baptist Church of Tulsa, OK, Calvary Baptist Church of Tupelo, MS, and First Baptist Church, Jackson, MS. Later the governor of Mississippi appointed him to be the executive director of the Mississippi Council on Aging. He next assumed the position of manager of the senior adult and single adult section of the Family Ministry Department of the Baptist Sunday School Board (Lifeway Christian Resources) in Nashville, TN. As the leader of senior adult ministry for Southern Baptists, he wrote the definitive book for local church ministry with senior adults. On retiring from that position in 1989, Horace led the Mississippi Baptist Convention Family Ministry program, which included senior adults, single adults, and family enrichment.

He was a long time member of First Baptist Church and cherished his time there. He taught Sunday school for many years, was a lifetime deacon, and in later years, was an active member of the Explorer Sunday school class. Horace and his wife enjoyed 66 years of quality life together with many common interests including children and grandchildren, friends, golf, and baking.

Horace was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Dot; daughters Sandra (Tommy) Jarrett and Gail (Eddie) Maynard; son David (Sally) Kerr; grandchildren Alan, Scott, and Laurie Jarrett; Jennifer (Chris) Cowan, Paul (Jenny) Maynard, and John Maynard; and Mary Jane Kerr; great grandchildren, Jordan, Noah, and Cassidy Cowan; brother James Kerr; nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be in the atrium at First Baptist Church on Wednesday, October 14, at 9:45. A memorial service will be observed in the chapel of First Baptist Church at 11:00. Memorials may be made to Mission First, Inc. or the Senior Adult Ministry of First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 250, Jackson, MS 39205.