Retired Army National Guard LTC Jack O. Kerby, Sr., age 86, of Demopolis, died February 22, 2015, at Woodhaven Manor in Demopolis. A funeral service will be held at Demopolis First United Methodist Church on Friday, February 27, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. with a visitation one hour prior to the service in the church sanctuary. Burial will follow in the Payne’s Chapel Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home directing and Reverend Dr. Arthur Luckie officiating. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the Men’s Coffee Class at Demopolis First United Methodist Church and the Board of Directors of Sweet Water State Bank.
Jack O. Kerby, Sr. was born May 4, 1928 in Henagar, Alabama. He graduated from Oak Ridge, Tennessee High School and received his undergraduate degree at Jacksonville State University where he served as president of the SGA and was selected as a member of Kappa Phi Kappa, a national honorary society. Later he completed his Master’s Degree at the University of West Alabama.
Mr. Kerby was Dean of Instruction at Hobson State Technical College (now Alabama Southern) in Thomasville for thirty years. He was a director at the Sweet Water State Bank and served as board secretary. He was also a cattle farmer. While living in Thomasville he was instrumental in bringing a National Guard unit there and has the distinction of the building bearing his name; he was Chair of the Hospital Board when the Nursing Home was created; for 30 years he served as Institutional Representative for the Boy Scouts for which he was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award; he served as president of the Thomasville Rotary Club and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award.
LTC Kerby served over 34 years in the military. First, in the Tennessee National Guard then was activated into the 31st division during the Korean War. He then completed his service in the Alabama National Guard retiring in 1988 as a LTC.
Mr. Kerby was active in both the Demopolis First United Methodist Church and the Thomasville UMC, where he taught an adult Sunday School class. He was a UMC Demopolis District Trustee and served on several committees.
Mr. Kerby was predeceased in death by his mother, Elizabeth Hulsey Kerby and father, James Melvin Kerby; sisters, Dorothy Kerby and Pat K. Shippey and her husband, John. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Lewis Kerby, son, Jack Olen Kerby, Jr. and wife, Karen, daughters, Lucinda K. Mason and husband, Bill all of Demopolis; Victoria K. Justice and husband, Steve of Huntsville. Granddaughters Sarah M. Lindsey and husband, Al of Spring, TX; Mallory Mason of Nashville, TN; and Caroline Justice of Huntsville. Grandsons Clarke L. Kerby and wife, Courtney; Jacob O. Kerby of Demopolis; Jackson A. Kerby of Travis AFB, CA; and Ben Justice of Huntsville and one great grandchild, Chance Allen Lindsey of Spring, TX; sister, Sybil K. Lea of Rossville, GA and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Demopolis First United Methodist Church, Payne’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 35 Forest Drive, Sweet Water, Alabama 36782, or a charity of your choice.
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