Eleanor W. Kerr

WEST BARNSTABLE — Eleanor W. Kerr, a longtime resident of Newport, N.H., and mother of Tracie Crowley of West Barnstable, died on July 1, 2008, at the Cape Regency Nursing Home, Centerville.

She was born in Newport on March 23, 1923, the daughter of Josephine B. and William C. Wright. After graduating from Towle High School, Newport, and Keene Teachers College, Keene, N.H., she worked in Washington, D.C., as part of the World War II effort to break Japanese codes. Here she met her husband, a sailor in the Navy, Eugene W. Kerr. During his naval career, they lived in Washington, D.C.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Long Beach, Calif.; Great Lakes, Ill.; and Honolulu, Hawaii, before retiring to Keene and then Stamford, Conn.

During these years, she had four children and started her career as an elementary school teacher. Ellie taught until her retirement from teaching in Stamford in 1982. Following her retirement, she returned to live in the family home in Newport. Here she was able to continue her love of working with children by volunteering at Richards Elementary School. In addition to volunteer work at the school, she was active with the Newport Area Association of Churches Food Pantry and the South Congregational Church, where she served as a deacon for several terms.

Ellie was predeceased by her husband, Eugene. She is survived by her four children, daughter Tracie Crowley and husband, Edward, daughter Judy Stewart, son Andrew and wife, Mary, and son Mark and wife, Mary Ellen. She is also survived by grandson, Kyle, and granddaughters, Debra, Scii, Andrea and Kerriann, and great-granddaughter, Kathryn.

A memorial service will be held at the John-Lawrence Funeral Home, 3778 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Marstons Mills, on Thursday, July 10, at 6 p.m. The funeral service will be held at South Congregational Church, Newport, N.H., on July 8, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery, Newport. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in memory of Eleanor be made to Beacon Hospice, 259 Willow St., Yarmouthport, MA 02675, or to Cape Regency Nursing Home, Attn: Pat McKinney, 127 South Main St., Centerville, MA 02632.