Chelsea lost one of its most outstanding citizens of the past half-century with the passing of Wayne T. Kerr this past week.
Wayne’s involvement in our community for almost five decades was extensive. He served as the President and Executive Director of the Chelsea Community YMCA for 36 years, retiring in 2016. He served as Advisor to Chelsea Explorer Post #109 B.S.A. and was an adult volunteer in the scouting program B.S.A.-Boston Council.
He was a Fourth Degree Knight and Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Chelsea Council #83.
He also was active for many years as a member of the Chelsea Rotary Club.
Wayne also served our community in an official capacity as the former Chairman of the Chelsea Excise Board and as a Chelsea Library Trustee.
His lifelong devotion to his Catholic faith was recognized when he received the Bishop Cheverus Award presented by the Archdiocese of Boston.
However, those are the accomplishments that placed Wayne into the public spotlight.
Just as important was his mentorship of hundreds of Chelsea youth over the years in his work with the Y and the Explorers, as well as his many acts of kindness in overseeing the residences on the upper floors of the Y where he provided many persons who were down on their luck with a safe place to live.
But what we will most remember about Wayne was his incredibly patient and calm demeanor. He was one of those rare and wonderful persons who constituted the fabric of our community for decades.
The poet Wordsworth had people like Wayne in mind when he wrote these words:
“The best portion of a good man’s life is his little,
nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”
We know we join with all of our long-time fellow residents in offering our condolences to his family.
Wayne Kerr will be missed by all who knew him.