June 24, 2005  -- Mary Adams Kerley died in Carlsbad, California at the age of 78.

Mary Adams Kerley led an extraordinary life. She never wavered in her ambition to help others – through education, recreation and service to her community. She was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, as an only child and a first generation American. Mary Adams Kerley strived to make a difference, and she did.

Putting herself through Ursuline College, Mary Adams Kerley successfully completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Art History in the early 1950s. She was an accomplished model and an early teacher of self-improvement for women. Her career led her to radio and then television where she directed fashion shows and was credited as the first to introduce the idea of children as TV models. She conducted courses and workshops in personality and self-image development. She believed that “to achieve beauty and charm, a woman should begin inwardly and become aware of herself.”

Mary Adams Kerley created and developed the concept of Crescent Hill Camp, a summer camp for disabled children.  She was also the Executive Director of the camp and worked tirelessly to promote and expand it.  She enjoyed providing unique experiences for others - young, old and the exceptional.  Exotic animals were a part of her life and she shared them with the campers and schoolchildren, such as Suzy the Chimpanzee, Pansy the pet lamb, Fiesta the angora goat, Buster the blind goose and the many peacocks that were part of the family.

Mary Kerley was actively involved in philanthropic associations throughout her life, including the Japan American Society, Outdoor Circle of Honolulu, and the Freedoms Foundation At Valley Forge, Hawaii Chapter.  She was an historian-guide to traveling students, coordinator of the Brig Outreach program Honolulu, and Marriage Encounter Coordinator. At the end of her life she was a founding member and active on the board of directors of the Ellis R. Kerley Forensic Sciences Foundation, helping to raise awareness of the importance of forensic science and continuing the good works of her deceased husband, Ellis R. Kerley (www.kerleyfoundation.org).

Her exciting life allowed her to live in many interesting parts of the world including Korea, Japan, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.  Joining the North County community in 1994 from Hawaii, Mary Adams Kerley was a dedicated member of St. Elizabeth Seton’s parish in Carlsbad where she was a lector, a lay Eucharistic minister and volunteer educator. She was an avid reader, a world traveler, a bird lover and a gardening enthusiast.  She was a devoted mother of three and wife of the late Dr. Ellis R. Kerley, renowned Forensic Anthropologist. Mary Adams Kerley is survived by her three daughters, Mary Elise Kerley of Honolulu HI, Laurelann Kerley Bundens of Poway CA, and Amy Kerley Moorhouse of Atlanta, GA.  She will be missed by all who knew her.

The Viewing will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton’s Catholic Church in Carlsbad, Tuesday 6/28 at 7:00pm and the Funeral will be on Wednesday 6/29 at 1:00pm and Mary Kerley’s remains will be laid to rest at the Old Mission San Luis Rey cemetery with her husband. Flowers can be sent to the Encinitas Mortuary 760-753-1143.