Marye Ellen Kerr

Marye Ellen Kerr passed from this life on March 18, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma. She was born in Atoka, Oklahoma to Reedy and Clara Evans on December 23, 1932.

Marye married Wally Kerr (senior) in 1951 in Shawnee Oklahoma, after first meeting him several years earlier in Atoka, where she was in high school and worked at a local soda fountain as a “soda jerk,” a term commonly used to describe her job at that day and time. They had three children together: Lydia, Wally, and Kimberly. Marye was a homemaker for most of her adult life but also held several jobs working as an Emergency Room Admission Clerk for Norman Regional Hospital in the early 1960s, and again as a Library Assistant at Longfellow Middle School in Norman, Oklahoma in the 1970s.

Marye enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved the outdoors and riding her lawn mower. In the most recent years, she could be seen riding her mower only for sight-seeing--while not even cutting the grass--because of her infatuation with the beauty of the world outdoors. For many years, she and her husband traveled backroads throughout Oklahoma, collecting every different wildflower seed that they could find. They brought those seeds and the beauty of Oklahoma’s wildflowers back to their 2-acre yard in north Norman, offering a large and colorful annual display of awesome, spring and summer beauty that both their neighbors and all those passing by could enjoy. Their yard was featured several times by local TV stations and newspapers. Their mutual love of the outdoors extended to gardening, bird watching and sightseeing across the state. The Talimena Drive in Southeastern Oklahoma was one of their favorite, scenic retreats. Marye also loved domestic and international travel with her daughter, Kim.

Marye is preceded in death by her husband Wally, mother Clara, and sister Pat Brenneis. She leaves behind her daughter Lydia Kerr Tackett of Salt Lake City, Ut; son Wally Kerr and wife Cindy of Norman; daughter Kimberly Kerr of Norman; sister Alice Kapraun of Oklahoma City, grandchildren Jimmy Tackett of Salt Lake City, UT; Chad Kerr and wife Holli of Norman, Collin Kerr of Norman and great-grandchildren Carson Tackett, Mia Tackett, Payton Romine, Addilyn Kerr, and Kailyn Kerr and nieces Theresa Murray, Donna Kapraun and Kalli Kapraun.

Marye will be deeply missed by her family and friends. There are no services planned at this time. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or the American Cancer Society.