John KERR Obituary

KERR John Francis "JACK" Of Wynnewood, PA, beloved husband and father, died at home on October 18, 2023, age 73, of prostate cancer. Jack is survived by his wife of 31 years, Mary Ayres, and those he deemed his 3 finest accomplishments; sons Justin (Suzanne) and Ian (Andrea LaPira), and daughter Kathryn. He is also survived by 4 wonderful grandchildren; Nolan, Luke, Declan and Paige. His former spouse and mother of his 2 sons also survives him. Son of John and Kathryn (Smith) Kerr, Jack was born at St. Vincent's Hospital and grew up in southwest Philadelphia. He served as a SAPER in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1973, where he was based at Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely, Alaska. After serving in the military, Jack received an Associate's Degree from Temple University, and a Bachelor's of Architecture degree from Drexel University. He was a Registered Architect and member of the American Institute of Architects since 1981. He started at the design/build firm of Robert E. Lamb but spent most of his career specializing in hospital facilities design at the healthcare architecture firms Medifac, Ballinger, and Array Architects, with a stint client side as Director of Facilities Planning with AHERF/Tenet hospitals in Philadelphia. For many years, he chaired the Philadelphia Academy of Architecture for Health committee on health care facilities. Jack loved world travel. He and his wife Mary also enjoyed many trips with their daughter to their off-grid cabin at their woodland property in Schuylkill County. He volunteered for many years for the PA/NJ Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. Jack was a devoted husband and father, kind and generous and loving, always calm and even-tempered. He loved doing genealogical research on his extended Irish family tree. He enjoyed good wine, Mary's home cooking, rentals at the Jersey shore with friends and family, and in recent years meeting for coffee with a group of retired men friends. Jack wanted anyone who remembers him to raise a glass (or 2 or 3) in his memory. On Friday, October 27, 2023, we will remember Jack. The family will receive relatives and friends from 10 A.M., with the Celebration of Life at 11 A.M. at the Inn at Villanova, Radnor, PA. In lieu of flowers or donations, he requested unexpected and unsolicited random acts of kindness in his name.