Our mother, Elizabeth Jean Goode Kerr, was born to Carl and Elizabeth Goode in Salem, New Jersey on July 14, 1929. Her earliest years were spent in Pennsville, New Jersey but in 1935 the family moved to Baton Rouge where she would meet her life long best friend, Nona Day Wallace. During her youth, summers were spent returning to Pennsville enjoying time with her cousins. When Betty was a senior at Baton Rouge High School she met a handsome young sailor, Frank P. Kerr, Jr., who would be the love of Betty's life. They were married and later became the parents of four children. Betty spent years as a homemaker and an active parent volunteer at her children's school Dufrocq Elementary. There she served as the PTA president and chaired the school's memorable Halloween carnivals. As her own children grew older, Betty entered the field of early childhood education. Children and parents knew her as Ms. Betty. Through the years, she served as a preschool teacher, the director of The Early Learning Center of First United Methodist Church, and the co-founder of Country Day School of Baton Rouge. As a teacher, she shared her original stories featuring Tinkle Bell Bear, made good use of her "fairy dust", and shared her most infamous classroom pet, Clyde, the guinea pig. She loved children, especially preschoolers, and worked each day to provide them with learning experiences and treasured memories. Our mother cherished time spent with our father fishing and believed heaven was located on a little front porch with our father in the Atchafalaya Basin. After her retirement and Frank's death, she became one of the first residents at The Haven at Windermere. She was instrumental in establishing and supporting the Methodist worship service in her retirement community. Betty and her little dog, Bridget, made many dear friends in The Haven community but after a stroke she moved to Ollie Steele Burden. Betty passed away on January 14, 2014. Her contributions to early childhood education and her devotion to young children will continue to touch lives for time to come. She is survived by daughter, Carla Kerr Schild; a son, Frank P. Kerr III, and his wife, Barbara; her daughter, Betsy Kerr Powers, and husband, Pat; and her son, James Kerr, and his wife, Karen; her grandchildren, Sara Stafford, Andrea Kerr, Emily Cobb and her husband, Nathan, Weston Schild and his wife, Hope, Annie Powers, Mackenzie Schild, and Lilly Powers; her great-grandchildren Eleanor Stafford, Davis Cobb, and Lena Schild; and beloved niece, Margaret Goode. Preceded in death by her husband, Frank P. Kerr, Jr., brothers, Sam Goode and Terrell Goode, son-in-law Wayne M. Schild, grandson Scott Schild, and great grandson Charles Cobb. Visitation will be held at First United Methodist Church, 930 North Boulevard, Friday, January 27, 2014, from 1:00 pm until religious services at 2:00 pm conducted by Rev. Brad Franklin. Interment will follow in Resthaven Gardens of Memory. The family would like to express special thanks to Gennie Kenney and to the staffs at The Haven at Windermere and Ollie Steele Burden Manor for their friendship and care.
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