Mary Catherine Brandt Kerr

Mary Brandt Kerr passed away peacefully on October 31, 2024 after a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She is survived by her husband John Kerr and her sons Cameron Kerr of Vienna, VA, and Tyler Kerr of Denver, CO.

Mary was born on January 5, 1954 in Centralia, WA, to parents Jim and Eleanor Brandt, both from Iowa. The youngest of four children, Mary was a bright, inquisitive child whose high-spirited nature made her less excitable siblings question whether they really shared the same steadfast Midwest parents. Mary had a rich, rewarding childhood, growing up in both northern and southern California and also attending high school in England when her father's aerospace work took the family there for a year. That visit cemented her love of all things British, and after college, she returned to Britain to work and travel. It was in London that she and John met, and from London that they left to work together as English teachers in Sudan.

Mary attended Grinnell College, IA, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology. She found her calling in writing - particularly in book writing and editing in London, and later, back in the US. But she quickly found other outlets for her boundless energy, creating and running a grade-school parent resource center for underserved immigrant families, managing school library activities, coaching kids' soccer, serving on our town's finance committee, running for Selectman, and covering events for the local newspaper - all while raising two boys. Among the other activities she was most proud of: her non-stop, miles-wide support for her other "boys" - South Sudan refugees who arrived in the US more than 20 years ago.

Alzheimer's began to affect Mary perhaps eight or nine years ago, although its impact and progress were invisible to most until much later. A clear diagnosis in January 2023 removed anyone's doubts about what was happening to her. In September 2023, she found a new home at Bridges, a wonderful memory-care community in Sudbury, MA, where she enjoyed the warmth and endless kindness of the teams there and regularly joined in the wide range of activities - particularly those involving music and dance and of course, the visiting dogs and alpacas.

Mary's life will be celebrated in 2025; dates and places to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association www.alz.org and to Save-A-Dog www.saveadog.org, the shelter from which Mary's beloved Sophie came.