Michael Kerby

Elias Michael Kerby, Jr., 64, died peacefully on Tuesday February 15, 2022, at the UAB Medical Center liver transplant unit in Birmingham, Alabama surrounded by family. Visitation will be Saturday February 19, 2022, from 3-5 at the family home in Columbus, Mississippi. Funeral services will be at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 318 College Street, Columbus, MS 39701 at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday February 20, 2022, with burial next to his parents to immediately follow at Friendship Cemetery on 4th Street South.

Michael was born on March 18, 1957, in Columbus, Mississippi to the late Elias Michael “Mike” Kerby and the late Bettye Jane Allen Kerby. Michael attended elementary school at Franklin Academy where his beloved late Aunt Leah Kerby taught for 45 years. Each day Michael, and later his brothers Allen and Young, went across the street to his grandmother’s house where his late grandmother Sadie Bostany Kerby served the best hot homemade lunches to her grandsons from a delectable repertoire of her native Lebanese recipes. Sitty (Grandmother) Sadie Kerby learned these recipes in her childhood home of Jounieh, Lebanon before arriving in Columbus, Mississippi when she was married on her 18th birthday and where she later became a naturalized American citizen.

Michael attended Joe Cook Junior High and S.D. Lee High School where he graduated with honors in 1975. Michael was on the staff of the Lee High Mirror, the school newspaper, and was a star on the tennis team. Michael and his tennis partner Marthalie Miller Porter made it to the finals of the state tennis doubles championship game and probably would have won the State Championship had they not misunderstood the start time of their final tennis match. No confessions to date on who was in charge of remembering that start time. Michael also had the honor of escorting the S. D. Lee High Homecoming Queen his senior year when he could not say no when asked to be the Queen’s escort. Twelve years later Michael realized this was the woman of his dreams and convinced her to become Mrs. Michael Kerby, Jr.

Michael enrolled at Mississippi State University and graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. During his time at Mississippi State, he served on the Executive Board of and as Treasurer of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Michael took the Certified Public Accountant examination his senior year at MSU and passed all sections on the first try.

Michael met Katherine Searcy Ferguson while attending St. Paul’s Episcopal church on regular occasions as a child with his parents, grandparents, and aunt. They married in 1987 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and were blessed as beloved husband and wife for 35 years. Their son Eli and daughter Kat were later christened at St. Paul’s, served as acolytes, and thrived as active members of the Episcopal Youth Community.

During childhood to young adulthood, Michael attended primarily First Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Columbus and later when the church moved to Bluecutt Road. He served the church at various times as treasurer. Upon his marriage, Michael joined his wife’s family church St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where his financial support was generally anonymous and included special funding campaigns such as How Firm a Foundation.

Michael joined his father’s accounting firm in Columbus, MS in 1979 and soon became a partner. Michael continued this private accounting practice with his father until Mike passed and then under various names to his most recent professional practice of Kerby and Associates. Michael was at work until two weeks before his death.

Michael’s family is not entirely certain of all his civic organizations and charities because he did not like public recognition or discuss his civic service. It is believed that Michael was a past President of the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce and past President of the Columbus-Lowndes United Way. Michael was a member of the Columbus Rotary Club and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He was President of the Columbus-Lowndes Chapter of the American Red Cross. Michael felt it a special privilege to serve many decades as the Treasurer of Magowah Gun Club where he became dear friends with the best BBQ Pitmaster of all time Jack “Jr.” Hendricks, Jr.  Michael was a life member of Lake Norris Fishing Club that he and family visited almost daily to see wildlife and the eagles’ nest.

Beside his parents Mike and Betty Jane Kerby and Aunt Leah Kerby, Michael was preceded in death by his grandparents James Riddell Allen and Corrine Young Allen and Mike and Sadie Bostany Kerby. Michael was proud of all his family and treasured the faith and courage of his ancestor family members.

Michael is survived by his loving wife of 35 years Katherine Searcy Ferguson Kerby. He is also survived by his beloved son Elias “Eli” Michael Kerby, III and his lovely bride Kaitlin Cardozo Kerby of Springfield, Virginia. Also surviving Michael is his much-loved daughter Katherine Maer “Kat” Kerby of Chattanooga, and soon, Nashville, Tennessee. These treasured children were the joys of Michael’s life. Michael is survived by his brother Allen Kerby and wife Lisa Phillips Kerby of Columbus, MS and their children, nieces Mary Douglass Kerby, Starkville, MS, and Allie Kerby, Jackson, MS. Michael leaves his cooking co-conspirator and youngest brother Young Kerby of Starkville, MS. Michael also leaves behind the Queen of Southside-his mother-in-law Katherine Maer Searcy Ferguson Horton or simply Memom. Michael is survived by his brother-in-law Vee Ferguson, wife Beth Laws Ferguson, Columbus, MS, niece Harper Ferguson (Aurora, Colorado), and nephew John Laws Ferguson (Ashlee) of Nashville, TN. Michael leaves behind also brother-in-law Buzzy Smith and Eleanor Searcy Smith, Florence, MS, nephew Reuben Smith (Hailey) Florence, MS, and niece Lilah Searcy Smith, Nashville, TN, as well as brother-in-law Keith Miles (Barbara) Columbus, MS, and special family friend Mary Golden.

Pallbearers are Al Puckett, Granville Tate, Cecil Bostany, Frank Jarman, Gordon Flowers, John Laws Ferguson, Reuben Smith, and Mike Norman. Honorary pallbearers are Liberty Crawford, Chrissy Bailey, and Nell Fleming.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers that consideration be given instead to a donation to a charity. Michael was a loving supporter of Limuru Children’s Centre c/o Global Connections, 70 Brickerton Road, Columbus, MS 39701 and of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 318 College Street, Columbus, MS 39701. Limuru Children’s Centre is a home for vulnerable and orphaned children located in Nairobi, Kenya.