Mary Kerr

2021.

Mary was born on August 4,1932 in Salisbury, Maryland, USA to Clifford and Ruby Gibson. Shortly after graduating from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario , Mary exchanged wedding vows with

Alan Kerr on August 20, 1955.They remained a loving and devoted couple for 66 years.

Together, they moved to Atikokan in 1958 during the mining boom, and had to camp on Russell Lake until a house became available about a month after their arrival. With the exception of a two-year contract teaching for the Department of Defense in Zweibrucken ,Germany, Mary and Alan lived the rest of their lives in Atikokan. Mary fell in love with the beauty of the Atikokan wilderness, and in particular with Quetico Provincial Park. A part of every summer was spent on family canoe trips. Together Mary and Alan and their sons built the family forever home on Lerome Lake, and established Adventure Canoe Trails, a canoe outfitting business which catered to clients who wanted to experience the canoe routes of Quetico. It didn't last very long; the couple soon realized that the business prevented them from doing what they loved: travelling Quetico Park.

They continued to enjoy canoe trips each summer thereafter and visited other canoeing areas such

as the Ogoki Wilderness Park and the north shore of Lake Superior. Mary was a volunteer member

of the Provincial Parks Council from 1980 to 1986, and loved flying in small float planes to visit

other wilderness areas in the province. The role of the Parks Council was to advise the Minister

of Natural Resources on parks management and policy, a task Mary took very seriously.

When Alan retired in 1989 the travel bug, which had bitten them while in Europe, reasserted itself

and they travelled the world. The first port of call was Istanbul, Turkey, where Alan taught English for a year. Mary's warm personality was noted by the owner of the school and she was talked into working part-time in the elementary wing of the school. Frequently, their chosen travel destinations were the locations where their youngest son Paul pursued his career as a mining engineer. Trips included visits to B.C., Honduras, the U.S., Australia, China, Vietnam, and India (twice), as well as holidays in Alberta and southern Ontario to visit old friends and family. When the wanderlust was satisfied Mary loved nothing more than hosting gatherings of family and friends at Lerome Lake, gardening , swimming, and cross-country skiing. Mary loved the outdoors and often veered off her ski trails to follow wolf tracks. She was the rock that kept the family close throughout her life, and always welcomed visitors.

Mary is survived by her sons Dave and Paul (Xio), daughter-in-law Leslie Kerr, nine grandchildren,

twelve great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was pre-deceased by her parents, Dr. Clifford S. and Ruby Gibson, her brother John Gibson,

husband Alan Kerr, and son Peter Kerr.

As per Mary's wishes, cremation has taken place and her ashes will join those of her husband in

the columbarium at Little Falls Cemetery.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Shawn Minor and all of the nurses and staff of the Extended Care Wing of AGH for the outstanding care provided during Mary's last year of life. No funeral is planned.

Donations to the Atikokan General Hospital Foundation in Mary's name would be welcomed.