Robert Marriner Kerr

by Annie Kerr of Rexburg, Idaho July 1972

 

Robert Marriner Kerr was the fourth child of Marion Joseph Kerr and Ella Rebecca Merrill Kerr.  He was born in Richmond, Utah on March 5, 1887. He was educated there and also attended  the college in Logan and Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon where he graduated. He worked with his father on the family farm near St. Anthony, Idaho. He taught high school for twenty seven years at Madison High School, Edmonds High School, and at American Falls High School.   He also was a park ranger for ten summers at Yellowstone Park.

 

He married Annie Spori on October 16, 1912 in the Salt Lake Temple. She was born November 1, 1889 in Rexburg, Idaho and graduated from the academy there. She taught school before her marriage, and later on she also taught at St. Anthony and Rexburg.

 

Both she and Robert were always very active in the LDS. Church. He served as bishop in the Ora Ward for three years. He was on the high council in Yellowstone Stake for several years. In Rexburg he served as president of the high priest quorum. He taught for many years in MIA and in priesthood quorums and fulfilled his responsibilities as a ward teacher. He had a great interest in genealogy. This interest was shared and supported by Annie, and they both have contributed wholeheartedly to furthering this work.

 

Annie served as MIA president and relief society president. She was stake relief society president in Yellowstone Stake. She is noted for her graciousness and sincere interest in helping others.

 

Annie and Robert became the parents of five children: Robert Marion Kerr, born April 7, 1914; Joseph Spori Kerr, born March 9, 1916; Coral Kerr, born November 16, 1918; Lyman Stuart Kerr, born March 29, 1924 and died April 11, 1924; and Douglas Leon Kerr, born September 13, 1925.

 

After Robert's retirement at age seventy, he was elected city treasurer of Rexburg. He passed away August 29, 1964 and was buried in St. Anthony, Idaho.

 

Annie now lives with her sister in Rexburg and rents her nearby home to college professors. She has traveled to Taiwan and throughout the United States.

 

Robert Marion Kerr, their oldest son, is now an attorney in Blackfoot, Idaho.  He is also stake president there. He and his wife, Ann, have four children now at home. His eldest son, Steven, married Susie Hunt last December and attends BYU since his return from an LDS mission in Mexico. Robert's eldest daughter, Kristen Kerr Price, was graduated cum laude from BYU in May, 1972 and is the mother of a year old daughter, Tiffany. She and her husband, Steven Price who is also a BYU graduate, have moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Robert's second son Gregory is on an LDS mission in Japan. Ann's Son, Byron Thueson, is filling an LDS. Mission to the Southern States. Ann's daughter, Diane, was graduated from Blackfoot High School in May, 1972 and will attend Ricks College this fall. Cathy sang the lead in the high school musical Oklahoma last spring. The four children now at home are Cathy, Kelley, Michelle, and Jackie and are very involved in school, church and music activities.

 

Joseph Spori Kerr is assistant post master in Portland, Oregon, and on the high council of the stake there. His wife, Wanda Ricks Kerr, is MIA stake president of the Young Women. Their only living child, Gary and his wife, Cathy, have three little children, two girls and a boy, Robert III. Gary is an accountant and also lives in Portland where they have started to build a new home.

 

Coral Kerr Clifford lives in Norman, Oklahoma. Her husband is a retired Colonel, John N. Clifford, who is now Bishop of the Norman LDS. Ward. He is the Executive to the Director of the U.S. Postal Training Center at the University. Their three sons, Robert, Brett and Neil all attended BYU. last year. Robert and his wife, the former Kathleen Doyle have a baby girl born January 29 at Provo.  Brett returned a year ago from an LDS. mission in the Philippines. Their daughter, Diane, is in high school in Norman.  Coral is very interested and helpful with genealogy.

 

Douglas Leon Kerr of Burnt Hills, New York, is still a research engineer for General Electric at Schenectady, New York.  Last April he and his wife Inge-Lise spent some time in Denmark visiting her people after Douglas finished a General Electric assignment in London.  They have five children and numerous pets to use the twelve acre new home in which they live.