Kell Corrigan Mercer

Kell was born on September 17, 1969, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, to Bill and Patty (Kenna) Mercer. Although if you asked Kell where he was from, he was more likely to tell you he was from Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he spent the formative years of his life.

As a child, he faced many challenges and excelled at almost any sport or interest he decided to attempt. Throughout his life, he loved exploring new remote and urban landscapes. In more recent years, he captured his adventures as he saw them through the lens of his camera. When people met Kell and heard his unique, notable dry wit on a given topic, they would universally remark on his unique perspective and subsequently wonder if they should laugh about what he said.

Kell attended Louisiana State University, receiving a degree in political science. He was a member of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which was the foundation for many of his lifelong friendships. While at LSU, he met his future wife, Kathryn Flurry Mercer. They married in 1997. Kell received a Juris Doctorate from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Kell and Kathryn relocated from Omaha to Austin, Texas, and lived there for almost 30 years.

Kell’s love of playing guitar, listening to albums and attending live shows (of all sizes) grew throughout his life. He knew more information about his favorite bands and music genres than most Wikipedia articles. If you asked him about an album he recently purchased at Waterloo Records, you would learn not only the origin of a song but also the complicated social and technical dynamics at play in the studio during the recording of that particular version.

Capitalizing on his ability to learn, recall and strategically use enormous amounts of information, Kell specialized in practicing corporate bankruptcy and commercial litigation. He transitioned to his solo practice after working for many years at Sheinfeld, Maley & Kay and later Husch Blackwell. He was dedicated to serving the needs of his clients and working with his peers in the legal community.

Kell is survived by his wife of 28 years, Kathryn, and their two young adult children, Will and C.M.; his mother, Patricia Kenna Mercer; sisters, Kenna Mercer Seiler and Jude-Anna Mercer Sadlier; brother in laws, Michael Seiler and Andreas Sadlier; and his many friends, from those at LSU, in Austin, the legal community, and beyond. He was so loved.

His father, William “Bill” Stuart Mercer, preceded him in death.

A memorial will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.