Born March 14, 1938 in Cremo, West Virginia to Lora John and Mary Virginia (Connolley) Kerby, he married Mary Alice Gosnell on June 26, 1960 in Pekin. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Paul F. (Kara) Kerby, Jr. of Pekin and William G. Kerby of Uniontown, Ohio; one daughter, Alicia M. (Christopher) Friedman of Dunlap; eleven grandchildren, Jessica Kerby, Allison Kerby, William Kerby, Elizabeth (Alex) Ford, Niki Kerby, Sam Kerby, Kami Thompson, Brogan Friedman, Sarah (Mike) Morris, Bre Behm and John Morris; six great-grandchildren, Zelda Behm, Harmony Kerby, William Kerby, II, Kellynn Ford, Kathrynne Ford and Drystan Walker and three brothers, William Marion Kerby of Seville, Ohio, Howard Charles (Ilmelda) Kerby of San Antonio, Texas and Clyde Edwin (Angela) Kerby of Mansfield, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Sean Douglas Kerby on October 24, 2019 in Pekin and one brother, Ernest Ray Kerby.
Paul served in the United States Marine Corps as a reservist from 1954 to 1955 and then served in the United States Army from 1955 to 1959. He served in the United States Air Force from 1960 until retiring as Technical Sergeant in 1976.
As a civilian, Paul worked for Engineer Sound Video in Pekin, then Data Graphics, which later became General Dynamics and then R.K.Dixon. He last worked as a veteran’s service officer for AMVETS of Illinois, retiring on May 31, 2005. He was a member of William Schaefer American Legion Post 44, Roy L. King Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1232 and Disabled American Veterans. He also a member of Paul Towne AMVETS Post 169 in North Pekin and the Sons of the American Revolution. He faithfully served with the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team in providing military funeral honors. Paul was the State Commander for the AMVETS of Illinois from 2013 to 2014.
Paul was a 25-year Boy Scout leader and also had coached little league. He was a past 25-year member of Pekin Moose Family Center 916.
He was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Pekin.
His funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. The Rev. Carole L. Hoke will officiate. Visitation will be one hour before the funeral. Guidelines regarding social distancing and the wearing of masks will be followed. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery in Pekin, where military rites will be accorded by the United States Air Force and the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tazewell Area Ceremonial Team, 1104 Court Street, Pekin, Illinois 61554.
To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com
