Dr. Jesse Dirk Kerley

Jesse “Dirk” Kerley, age 59, of Denton, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 5, 2016 after a courageous battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was born September 6, 1956, in Colorado City, Texas, to Edwin Doyle Kerley and Charlotte Janeene Smith Kerley.

Dirk spent his early years in Abilene, TX and much of his early youth at his grandparent’s farm working alongside his grandfather where learned the art and science of cotton farming. These experiences instilled a love of the outdoors and appreciation of nature.

He also began a lifelong passion for the game of golf at a young age. With coaching and guidance from his father he developed a sweet swing and could drive the ball a mile. As a junior golfer he racked up tournaments win after win. Dirk went on to play and letter on the Abilene High School golf team and served as team captain. During this time he also set the low score record at Abilene Country Club. His high school career culminated in his qualification for the Texas State Championship in 1974. His skill in design and mechanical drawing drew the attention of the Abilene School district and he was asked to create the plans for the new athletic field house for Abilene High.

Dirk graduated from Abilene High School in 1975 with honors and began college at McClennan County College in Waco, TX on a golf scholarship. He went on to Texas A&M to earn a bachelors degree in entomology. He was accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1982 at the top of his class. While at A&M, he was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Societies. He was a acknowledged each semester as a Distinguished Student. He excelled in research, leadership and scholarly works and recognized for these qualities and awarded the Phizer, Harwal and Gathright awards during his years as a veterinary student.

Dirk moved to Muleshoe, TX for two years to hone his skills as a large animal veterinarian. He then bought a practice in Decatur, TX in 1984, Decatur Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced for 22 years. He specialized primarily in large animals, especially dairy cattle, and developed many loyal clients throughout the years. He had a humble and quiet demeanor with his patients and their owners, with a dose of dry, quick wit. He was a gifted doctor and jokingly referred to himself as CDX (Cow Dr. Extraordinaire). He loved “all creatures great and small.”

Athletic and adventuresome, Dirk enjoyed scuba diving, weightlifting, golf, gardening and traveling. He visited Hawaii, Barbados, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Island, Puerto Rico, Canada, Alaska and many other states in the U.S. He was a life- long learner and enjoyed astronomy, the Civil War, WW II, history, oceanography and meteorology. He said his favorite five words were “large hail and damaging winds”. He loved a good thunderstorm and installed a professional weather station on the rooftop measure precise rain totals and wind speeds. He and his brother enjoyed beekeeping together and Dirk maintained fresh and saltwater aquariums from the time he was nine years old.
A diehard fan of the Texas Rangers, he rarely missed watching a game. He also followed the Aggies and other college and professional football teams and mourned the end of baseball and football season each year.

Dirk is survived by his loving wife, Cathy Tedrick Kerley, of Denton, Texas; stepdaughter, Katie Tedrick Sherrard and husband Preston of Argyle, Texas, stepson, Connor Tedrick of Denton, Texas; his parents, Edwin Kerley and Janeene Smith Kerley of Abilene, TX; Brother, Ty Kerley of Ardmore, Oklahoma and wife Vicki, sister, Shona Muccini and husband Steve of Austin, TX., nephews, Casey Dirk Kerley of Abilene, TX and Dalton Kerley of Ft Worth, Ethan and Oliver Yndo of Austin, and his cat, Lilly.

He was preceded in death by his Grandparents, Bruce Edwin and Annie Mae Smith Kerley and Gordon Clay and Mariola Logan Smith.
His family would like to thank his oncology teams at MD Anderson, Houston, TX and Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor-Dallas for their expertise, care and dedication to his fight. A special thanks to his caring aides while at Baylor, “Nessa” and George.

In lieu of flowers, if you so desire, gifts may be made to the Dr. Dirk Kerley Children’s Fund at the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasia at https://support.nfed.org/donate-now (select the fund in the drop down menu if giving online) or by phone/mail or a local animal shelter/rescue organization, or charity of your choice.

Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 pm, Monday, February 8, 2016 at the 37th Street Church of Christ, 2500 37th Street, Snyder, TX. The family will receive visitors at 2:00 pm, February 8th, one hour prior to the service. Private interment will follow Hillside Memorial Cemetery Snyder, Texas.