Douglas M. Kerr ’61

Doug died Oct. 25, 2014, in Denver, due to renal failure and complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Born in Washington, D.C., Doug grew up in New Jersey and came to Princeton from the Pingry School. At Princeton Doug majored in psychology, took his meals at Dial Lodge, and graduated with honors. He was an officer of the Outing Club and a member of the Sigma Xi Society. His senior-year roommates were John McCobb, Joe Segura, Phil Shambaugh, Ray Unger, and Jeff Morgan.

After Princeton, Doug earned a master’s degree in public health at the Yale School of Medicine in epidemiology and public health, followed by a law degree at Yale Law School. He began practicing law with IBM and then was an assistant district attorney.

In our 50th yearbook, Doug wrote very movingly about his lifelong struggle with alcoholism, a battle he said he lost for many years. He wrote, “God speaks to me through sober alcoholics who have been there. By the grace of God, I’ve been continuously sober since 1976.” His favorite hymn, sung at his funeral, was “Amazing Grace,” because it described his struggle.

Doug was divorced. He is survived by his sister, Judith; brother John; and John’s wife, Bonnie.