Lida Mae Kerr, 82, of Walsh, Colorado, passed away June 1, 2020.  She was born on July 15, 1937 in Utleyville, Colorado to Arthur and Eva Crone.  When she was about 5 or 6 years old, she contracted polio and had to live at the St. Ann Home for Kids in Denver for 3 or 4 months.  Polio caused a great deal of pain and various problems in her leg throughout her life, but she was strong and you truly would never know she was in pain or had a problem.  She lived in the country and went to a country school with her brothers, sisters and cousins through 8 ^th grade.  She attended Pritchett High School in Pritchett, Colorado through 11 ^th grade.

On March 10, 1955 she married Leon Kerr in Clayton, New Mexico. On the way to Clayton the car broke down. The women were getting thirsty and they could see a windmill in the pasture, so Leon went across that pasture to see if he could get some water.  He tried but in the end, he made it back without any water.  They repaired the car and went on to Clayton. When it was time for the wedding ceremony, Leon realized he had lost Lida's wedding ring, possibly in that pasture.  He did not have time to go look for it , so he took the band from a cigar wrapper and used it for a ring.

They begin running their own farming business in 1960. The main crop they raised was broomcorn.  They ran this operation in Walsh from 1960-1970 and then moved 15 miles south of town to continue the operation until 1980.  When it came time to harvest the broomcorn, which lasted 3-4 months, they would hire 30-40 men. Room and board were provided for these men.  Lida was the head cook.  She would get up at about 4 in the morning to cook breakfast, then prepare lunch and take it to the field by 12 o'clock, lastly she had supper ready between 6 and 7.  In 1981 broomcorn was not making as much money so they started growing wheat and maize.  They moved back to Walsh in 1984.  They retired from farming in 2000.  Leon continued to farm for other people until Lida insisted he truly retire.

During this time, they raised four daughters, Linda, Sue, Bonnie and Marie.

When they were not farming, the family had some great times camping, boating, skiing, and fishing at Two Buttes Lake, Bonny Reservoir, Port Aransas Texas, or John Martin Reservoir with their family.  Every year in July, they would take all the grandkids and go camping at John Martin Reservoir for a week.  The parents loved this time, too. Seriously a week without kids, heaven!! These camping experiences created many great memories for their grandchildren.                                                                                                                                                                 For instance, once when Lida was in the camper cooking Leon and the kids kept asking her to bring things to them. She walked out of the camper with her hands full of items and Leon asked, "Where's my pills?"  She looked at all the stuff in her arms and said, "Oh shit, I must have taken it."

Another memory was the kids would go all week without washing up, this was before showers were put in, but come Friday morning Lida and Linda would gather all the kids up in their swimming suits and have them wash under the campground pump.  just because they wanted all the kids cleaned up for their parent.   No big deal, right? Wrong, the water coming out of that campground pump was unbelievably cold!!!  Those are only two memories. There are so many more just ask any of her grandchildren.

Lida loved working on all kinds of crafts from sewing Barbie clothes, embroidering pillowcases, and making ornaments with beads.  But her favorite hobby was knitting.  She was always knitting, probably one of her hundreds beautiful afghans.  She also knitted sweaters, slippers, scarfs, potholders, dishrags, pretty much anything you wanted; all without YouTube.  Her children remember her huge vegetable garden that she planted every year when they were growing up.  From that garden came many fresh and canned goods.  She was a great cook, not the fancy gourmet type of food but the down, home comfort food. And she was always prepared to serve a delicious meal any time to any amount of people.  Family are always talking about their favorite food or meal prepared by her.

Lida was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.  She loved her family to the deepest depths of her heart more than anything and was all about family. Leon and she attended as many family activities as possible: birthday parties, sporting events, recitals, etc. Lida touched so many lives during her time with us.  She will be greatly missed, but the memories of her will live on forever through the lives of her children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren.  Most important of all is that she was a Christian and her family knows she is in heaven with our savior Lord Jesus Christ.

Lida's legacy includes 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Her daughters and their families are:

Linda (Rick) Adams. Linda and Rick's 3 children are daughter Christy (Travis) Eskew and their children Delaney and Rhett. Son Jemes Adams and his children Cameron and Joy.  Son Jared (Cortney) Adams and their children Dalton, Katelyn, and Waylon.

Sue (Mark) Morrison of Limon, Colorado. Sue and Mark's 2 children are daughter Alisha (George) Ashauer and their children Ayla, George, Troy, Hank and Leon.  Son Kenny (Carolyn) Morrison.

Bonnie (Mark) Parks of Johnson, Kansas.  Bonnie and Mark's 5 children are daughter Rhiannon Keen and her children Zach and Greyson.  Daughter Michelle (Charlie) Turner and their children Taylor, Kyra, and C.J.  Son Ben (Kim) Parks.  Son Bart (Lori) Parks and their daughter Sidney.  Son Chuck Keen and his daughter Anoura.

Marie (Gary) Blau of Walsh, Colorado.  Marie and Gary's 3 children are daughter Felicity (Brad) Betts and their children Kolby and Kaden.  Daughter Cassie (Todd) Bryant and their children Kelsey and Kyler.  Daughter Savannah (Trevor) Kelley and their children Morgan, Madison, and Jack.

As well as the above family, Lida is also survived by: Husband: Leon Kerr, Brothers:  Ray (Joan) Crone and Leon Dale (Sandra) Crone, Sisters: Hazel Skelton and Wanda Neal, and many precious nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Preceding her in death are:  Parents: Arthur and Eva Crone, Daughter: Linda Adams, Son-in-law: Rick Adams, Grandchild: C.J. Adams, Brothers: Don Crone & Albert Crone, Brother–in-laws: Joe Kerr, Gary Neal, & Marshall Skelton, Sister-in-law: Nancy Crone