Hazel Kerr

Hazel Kerr, age 95, of Ferguson, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, December 19, 2025 at Bickford Cottage in Marshalltown, under the care of Iowa River Hospice.

Hazel Arlene Goecke was born February 20, 1930 on the family farm in Lamoille, Iowa. She was the oldest of three children born to Leo “Emmett” and Ethel (Dunlap) Goecke. She attended school in Lamoille graduating in 1948.

On June 13, 1952, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Ross Kerr at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They made their home together on an acreage North of Ferguson. She raised five children, Kevin, Owen, Heidi, Byron and Amy. Hazel was employed at the Northwestern Bell Phone Company where she remained for 42 years, retiring in 1993. Outside of work, she remained active in various card clubs, the Telephone Pioneers and Red Hat Ladies Club.

In her free time, Hazel enjoyed spending time in her gardens. She looked forward to spring when she took her yearly trip to the greenhouses to pick out her flowers and plants for the year. She was known to be a card shark and loved to play with anyone she could including teaching her grandchildren many games. She always took time to be involved in her grandkids activities never missing any sporting events or other activities they were involved with. There were many memories of summer trips to the Iowa State Fair where the day couldn’t start officially until she got her cinnamon roll from her favorite vendors. She was always the host to the family dinners and the photographer of the family always taking more than one photo to make sure she got the perfect shot. After Ross passed, she enjoyed going on bus trips with groups and traveling whenever possible. Additional activities often included spending time with her animals, going to movies and shopping trips to JC Penny and Younkers.

Those left to remember and cherish her memory are her children, Kevin (Robin) Kerr, Owen (Deb) Kerr, Heidi (David) Van Ersvelde and Aaron Passick; her grandchildren, John (Beth) Kerr, Kathleen Kerr, Phillip (Gemma) Kerr, Paul Kerr, Laura (Aaron Moseley) Kerr, Alex Passick, Aidan Passick and Ava Passick; three great-grandchildren, Shayla, Emma and Ennio Kerr; and sister, Sheryll Powers.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ross; her children, Byron Kerr and Amy Passick; parents, Emmett and Ethel Goecke; brother, Gene Goecke; sister-in-law, Margaret Goecke and brother-in-law, Bruce Powers; alongside numerous loved family members.

Memorial services for Hazel are planned for Friday, May 22, 2026 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown beginning at 10:30 A.M. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services. Memorials in Hazel’s name may be directed to the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown. For additional information or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.