Bennett Kerr

Bennett Curry Harter Kerr, 96 passed away Thursday, August 14, 2014 in Amarillo.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Monsignor Harold Waldow as Celebrant and Reverend Scott Raef  as Concelebrant. Family visitation will be Monday August 18, from 6-7 p.m. at the funeral home.  Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home 4100 S. Georgia St., Amarillo, TX.

Bennett was born May 23, 1918, in Seminole, TX, third of five daughters to B.B. and Mabel Sherman Curry.  She is descended from West Texas pioneer folk. Her grandparents were among the original settlers of the Quaker community, Estacado, near Lubbock.  She graduated valedictorian of Seminole High School in 1936 and enrolled in Texas Tech College.
Bennett married Bob Benson of Tahoka in 1937, but two weeks after the wedding he was killed in an oilfield explosion.  She returned to Texas Tech to complete a degree in home economics and married Joe Harter of Marlin in 1940.  After his discharge from the U.S. Navy following World War II, they made their home in Lubbock where Joe worked for the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, and Bennett became a teacher.  She taught at both St. Elizabeth’s and Christ  the King elementary schools.

After Joe’s death in 1971, Bennett continued to teach and made a trip to Europe.  In 1976 she married Ralph Kerr, a civil engineer of Roswell, NM.  They made their home in Albuquerque for over three decades and did extensive traveling in New Mexico and many western states.  They also traveled to Europe and Nova Scotia.  Ralph died in 2010.

Bennett was an earnest, gracious, cheerful, curious, and open minded person.  She was a generous and wonderful mother who loved to quote poetry to her children.  She loved to sing.  She was an active member of several Roman Catholic parishes during her lifetime including St. Elizabeth’s of Lubbock, where she sang in the choir.  Hers was one of the founding families of Christ the King parish in Lubbock.  She was a member of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Albuquerque, NM.  She has been a member of St. Mary’s  Cathedral in Amarillo for the past six years

Survivors include: two sons, Jim Harter of San Antonio, Mike Harter and his wife Monique Dupuis of Amarillo; two daughters, Marty Marmaduke and her husband John, and Barbara Whitton and her husband Jim of Amarillo; five grandchildren: Matthew Harter and his wife Kelli of Canyon, Meg O’Brien and her husband Alex of Amarillo, Owen Marmaduke of New York City, Jacob Harter and Sam Marmaduke of Amarillo. Bennett has three great-grandchildren: Laurel O’Brien, Liam O’Brien, and Elizabeth Harter.  She is also survived by her beloved sister Drusilla Curry Cieszinski of Roswell, NM and many nephews and nieces.

The family wishes to thank Baptist Community Services and Park Central and particularly the staff of Moore Assisted Living whose good work added to the quality of her life in her declining years.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to St. Mary’s Cathedral; 1200 S. Washington, Amarillo, TX. 79109 or Panhandle PBS; 2408 S. Jackson, Amarillo, TX.79105 or the charity of your choice.

---