Janice M. Kerr, 78, passed away peacefully Nov. 18, 2023, after a long illness. She was the daughter of Harold Kerr and Thelma Buffa Kerr.
She is survived by two sisters, Donna McCarthy and Beverly Foor; two sons and their wives, Andru and Dawn and Gabe and Beth; four grandchildren, Joshua, Juliana, Lex and Max; several nieces and nephews; two stepchildren, Janet Zoda and Tom Crocker; and two step-grandchildren, Eric Zoda and Kara Jade Crocker. She was predeceased by stepson Bobby Crocker.
Janice was born in born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and grew up in Little Silver. She was a graduate of Red Bank High School in 1963. She also lived in Hollywood, California, for some time with her sons, but mostly raised them in Ocean Township. She lived in Long Branch for the past 17 years with her loving partner, Robert Nicholas Crocker, whom she had known for 38 years.
Janice had an amazing personality and was an excellent, highly energetic, inventive activities director at many nursing homes in New Jersey. She worked the longest at the King James Care Center in Atlantic Highlands. She retired from Manor by the Sea in Ocean Grove.
As a young woman, she entered many beauty and performance contests, including Ted Mack Amateur Hour. She acted in “General Hospital,” was Miss Driftwood, Miss Turkish Taffy Queen and Miss Tot’em Home Plenty.
She would often get up from the table at a restaurant that had a band or piano player, take the mic and sing while walking around the tables – “Oh Johnny” was a favorite – and wearing her scarab bracelets. No stage fright! Washington Crossing Inn in Bucks County was one of her favorite places. She loved reading American history and knitting items for the family.
Visiting will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 at Fiore Funeral Home, 882 Broadway, West Long Branch.
In lieu of flowers please donate to Janice’s favorite charity, Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org. For condolences, please visit fiorefuneralhomes.com.
This article originally appeared in the November 30 – December 6, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
