- Date Of Birth: March 28, 1946
- Date Of Death: June 30, 2022
- State: Alabama
Kerry Bruce Card was born March 28, 1946 in Arab, Alabama. He lived in Birmingham, Alabama during his early youth with his parents Harry Alfred Card and Myrtle Smith Card. During his junior high and high school years he attended Tennessee Military Institute where he was captain of the football team. Kerry accepted a football scholarship to the University of West Alabama (then Livingston University) in 1964 where he met Carol Culpepper. They married in 1967.
Kerry showed an early interest in social issues and public service, working as both a traveling minister in rural Sumter county and later managing a Head Start center also in Sumter County. During this time, he served in Marine Reserves, training at Twenty-Nine Palms Base near San Diego, California, achieved the rank of Sergeant, and was awarded as an expert marksman. Their son, Adrian Bruce Card, was born in 1972 after a move to Tuscaloosa.
Kerry worked at Firestone Tire Company before and after Adrian’s birth and declined a corporate move to Akron, Ohio to stay closer to family. He later chose a career in law enforcement and began working at the Northport Police Department (NPD) in 1976. Kerry was promoted to many roles during his 33-year career with NPD, from patrol officer, motorcycle officer, firearms instructor, Patrol Sergeant, Lieutenant in charge of the tactical response team, Public Information Officer, Captain, and Internal Affairs Investigator. He was actively involved in the professional development of many at NPD during his tenure.
He worked for the US Department of Transportation’s National Automobile Safety Center from 1984 – 1990, investigating the physics of car crashes that caused fatalities due to defective equipment.
Also during his NPD tenure, he served as Northport’s representative to the US Department of Homeland Security and the Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency, in addition to serving as Chairperson of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force and supervisor to the Community Service Program for the Northport Municipal Court.
In 2012 he was appointed acting Chief of Police and in 2013 he was promoted officially. He retired from NPD in 2014 in that role.
Kerry married fellow NPD police officer Janice Hagler in 1991 and shared many years together living on Lake Tuscaloosa. This beautiful location provided a peaceful retreat from the stresses of law enforcement for both of them. During those years, one of his favorite traditions was celebrating the New Year with a cold plunge in the lake with his nephews.
He served first in the Army National Guard from 1980 – 1990 and then started in the Air Force National Guard from 1991 – 2006 where he worked in military intelligence related to air reconnaissance and refueling, attaining the rank of Senior Master Sergeant and a top secret security clearance. He believed firmly in the exceptionalism of the United States and was a proud serviceman, with active deployment to the England, Iceland, France, Italy and Turkey. He retired from the Air National Guard with full honors.
Kerry had a deep love of both nature and adventure. He enjoyed gardening, hiking, hunting, fishing, SCUBA diving, skydiving, golf, rappelling, and domestic and international travel. He remained proficient with firearms. He was a Master Mason, Shriner, and member of the Lions Club.
He had a love for investing, refining his knowledge and strategy over the decades, and encouraged and helped those close to him to get started in mutual funds as early as they could and continue to invest whenever possible.
After retirement he found his next calling in prison ministry through outreach from Church of the Highlands in Tuscaloosa. His many years in law enforcement working with those during their personal challenges made him uniquely qualified to counsel inmates and gave him the courage to go into prison lockdown rooms, protected by no correctional officers and armed only with his ability to relate to those struggling and serving time, something that very few civilians would do with him. He saw their potential and wanted a better life for them.
Kerry is survived by his wife Janice Hagler, his son Adrian Card, grandson Julian Card, brother in-law John Hagler (Stephanie), many nephews, and many great nieces and nephews.
