James Thomas Kerss

James Thomas Kerss, 88, of Trawick, passed away on August 15, 2025, at his residence, with his family by his side.  James is under the care of Dickie Allen Funeral Home in Cushing, Texas.

A Visitation for James will be on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Dickie Allen Funeral Home in Cushing.  Services will be on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 10:00 A.M., at Trawick Presbyterian Church, in Trawick, Texas, with Pastor Maury Millican Officiating, burial will follow at Linn Flatt Cemetery.

James Thomas Kerss was born on April 12, 1937 to James Jessie and Carrie
Malissa Neill Kerss, at their home in Trawick, Texas. Growing up he would play
and get into mischief with his cousins at the family cotton gin and local ponds. He
graduated from Cushing High School where he met and later married the love of
his life, Sarah Gradell Minter Kerss on December 23, 1959. Together, they shared
65 years of marriage and four children: Thomas, Tena, Mary, and Melissa. James
grew up farming and at one point had his own dairy. He also worked for the
Coca-Cola Bottling Company and eventually retired from Moore’s Business Forms.
James had four passions: his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family (including all
his beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins), fishing, and singing.
Music flowed out of him, and he sang at any opportunity. He wrote and
recorded several songs and performed at venues large and small. Though he
loved singing Elvis songs and older country music, James mainly used his voice to
serve the Lord. He was the song director at Trawick Church for over 50 years and
one of his favorite memories was singing with The Trawick Church Quartet, which
was made up of cousins and close friends. He routinely carried his children “The
Kerss Family Singers” to local revivals, all day dinner on the ground singing
conventions, and Sunday morning gospel radio broadcasts of KSFA radio.
James loved his family dearly. He loved camping and taking scenic trips with
them. He created many cherished memories of sunrises spent on a lake with his
kids, grandkids, nephews, and niece. His tendency to say “just one more cast”,
stated about 100 times per trip, will never be forgotten by them. James
frequently told stories about “pulling in the big ones” during the annual Neill
fishing trips on the Guadalupe River, where he fondly spent time with his cousins,
son, grandsons, and great grandsons carrying on a longstanding family tradition of
river fishing. He prided himself on personally drawing Valentines for his family
year after year; so many they could fill a hope chest, but more importantly they
fill our hearts.
James loved sports and enjoyed reminiscing on his younger years playing
football, basketball, and semi-pro baseball; where he played short stop and hit
many home runs. He would follow his stories with, “That’s not a brag, that’s a
fact”. He was an avid fan of the Cowboys, Astros, and Mavericks, a staunch
supporter of the SFA Lady and Lumberjacks, and a longtime member of the
Ladyjack Hoop Group.
Everyone that knew James knows that he was genuinely friendly and never
met a stranger; he loved people and loved to talk and would race to strike up a
conversation with anyone. He was so personable and easy to talk with, that for
many years he was asked by The Daily Sentinel to write a popular community based
article called the “Cushing News”. He found that it was a great opportunity
for him to visit with old friends and make new ones.
James was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Mozelle Kerss,
Catherine Kerss, and Urieline and brother-in-law James Ferril, and his great-granddaughter
Elizabeth Faith Vann. He leaves behind his wife Sarah, son
Thomas Kerss and his wife Tana, daughter Tena Kerss, daughter Mary Burchfield
and her husband Carl, and daughter Melissa Duncan and her husband Michael;
plus 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and a host of other family and
friends.

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