John & Dorothy Kerker Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was founded in 1995 by Dorothy Kerker in memory of her husband, John. When Dorothy joined him in 2012, their family and friends donated to continue the memorial. 

Dorothy

Dorothy was born on Feb. 4, 1925, to Ross and Minnie (Norton) Warren in Wilson, Oklahoma.

During World War II, Dorothy was employed at Tinker Field for Douglas Aircraft where she was fondly referred to as a “Rosie The Riveter.” Tinker is also where she met her future husband, John Kerker, who was an instructor at Tinker. She and John married in 1943.

In 1951, Dorothy and John moved from Oklahoma to Colorado to continue establishing his business in the oil and gas industry. Sterling is where they made their home and raised their family.

After retirement, Dorothy and John loved traveling and spending time with their children, grandchildren and, great-grandchildren. She was happiest being surrounded by her family.

John
John was born in Shawnee, Ok.,  on February 14, 1918, to John F. and Mary Emma Knopp Kerker. After graduating from high school at St. Benedict's of Shawnee, he attended the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Baptist University and Oklahoma City University.

After his marriage to Dorothy R. Warren in 1943, Mr. Kerker entered the Army Air Corps, serving with the 303rd Air Force Search and Rescue Unit. He was discharged in 1946 and the family returned to Shawnee where Mr. Kerker organized Cable, Inc., an oilfield service company. In 1950, the family moved to Sterling where he continued his business. He became a registered engineer in Colorado the early 1960s.

Mr. Kerker was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Sterling Elks Lodge No.1336, OPEC, and American Legion Post #207. He was a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, in which he held every office of the Colorado-Nebraska Subsection. He also served as President of the Sterling Country Club, was a director of the First National Bank, the Miss Colorado Pageant Scholarship Foundation, and the Sterling Industrial Development Company. Mr. Kerker was also a supporter of Young Life, and a major contributor to the fund for the Monahan Library at Northeastern Junior College.