Juanita Ellen (Kocsis) Kerr passed away at home on November 30, 2020. She was born at home in Steubenville, Ohio on October 23, 1938, the youngest of three children of Nicholas and Edna (Goshorn) Kocsis. Juanita graduated from Steubenville High School and received an RN certification from the Ohio Valley Hospital School of Nursing. She began working at Ohio Valley Hospital. She attended St. John’s Lutheran Church, where she met Edward D. (Dan) Kerr, a student at the College of Steubenville. Hoping that the way to his heart was through his stomach, Juanita invited Dan to Sunday dinner at her parents’ house. Juanita and Dan were married at St. John’s Church on November 24, 1961. They moved to Bedford, Pennsylvania, where nearly everyone at first (understandably) called her “Juniata." Juanita continued working as a nurse, including jobs in Texas (while Dan was stationed there in the Army), at Pennknoll, Bedford County Hospital, and as a school nurse in the Bedford Area School District. Juanita was beloved by her family for going to great lengths to make every holiday a celebration. She sent cards to family and friends to mark special occasions. Juanita’s anecdotes about family members’ foibles were equal parts stand up comedy and dramatic reading, and had a way of making her family laugh out loud at themselves. She always sent family members off at the end of visits with a reminder to, “watch out for deer!” She organized all kinds of fun when her grandsons visited. Juanita was a source of strength and comfort to her family and to the community, where she volunteered at the Bedford Area Food Bank and supported a number of efforts at church. She also enjoyed traveling with her family to places near (like Ohio) and far (like Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand). She is survived by Dan, her devoted husband of 59 years, by her son, Mark Kerr of Annandale, Virginia, her daughter, Lynn Ellen (Kerr) McKay, son-in-law, Brad and dear grandsons, Matthew Daniel and Nicholas Russell McKay of Arlington, Virginia. She is also survived by her sister, Barbara (Kocsis) Koehler, Columbus, Ohio, her sister-in-law, Dorothy (Kerr) Rice, Bedford, and cherished nieces and nephews. Her brother, Rev. Jack Kocsis, brothers-in-law, Robert A. Kerr, Donald Rice and Rev. Paul Koehler, and sisters-in-laws Lois Kocsis and Joyce Kocsis preceded her in death. Funeral services will be private. Internment at Schellsburg Cemetery. Arrangements by the Timothy A. Berkebile Funeral Home, in Bedford. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a donation to Bedford Food Outreach, Inc., P.O. Box 324, Bedford, PA 15522, and/or remembering Juanita by sending your loved ones a card. Our online guestbook is available at www.berkebilefuneralhome.com.
Bedford Food Outreach, Inc.
PO Box 324, Bedford PA 15522
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