Steven Kerr, 37, left, and his brother, Jeremy, 29, in a photograph from Steven's 2004 wedding, in which Jeremy served as best man. Click photo for larger image.

Two Butler County brothers died Saturday night in separate motorcycle accidents within two hours and 100 yards apart.

Steven Kerr, 37, and Jeremy Kerr, 29, died in crashes along Route 38 in Center Township, state police said.

Family members said the brothers had a close relationship and had gone riding together on their motorcycles earlier in the evening.

They were unsure why the two were riding separately after being together earlier.

State police said Steven Kerr, of West Sunbury, was traveling north on Route 38 when his 2000 Kawasaki left the road and struck a speed limit sign just before 9 p.m. He died as a result of the crash.

Then, shortly before 11 p.m., Jeremy Kerr, of Hilliards, died in a two-vehicle accident a short distance from where his brother was killed, authorities said.

The accidents were no more than 100 yards apart, said the Kerrs' mother, Nancy Kerr.

State police said Jeremy Kerr was traveling north on Route 38 at high speed when his 2004 Suzuki collided with a 1994 Plymouth Voyager that was stopped in traffic. He was not wearing a helmet.

The occupants of the Voyager, Veronica Smith and her mother, Donna Smith, both of North Washington, had minor injuries.

Nancy Kerr, of Hilliards, said Jeremy has two daughters, ages 9 and 5.

"I cry when the girls cry," she said yesterday.

Ms. Kerr, who also has three other sons, Perry, Michael and Randy, and a daughter, Stacey, said Jeremy was divorced and engaged to be married. Steven, who was married and had no children, owned a contracting business. Jeremy worked for him occasionally.

"He was so hardworking," Steven's wife, Wendy, said of her husband, noting that his business was just beginning to flourish.

She said her husband called about 7 p.m. Saturday and told her he would be home in about an hour.

But later she received a call from her sister asking if he had returned, noting that friends had mentioned a crash had occurred on Route 38.

She went to the accident scene to reassure herself that her husband was not involved, but found out instead that he had been killed.

Both brothers had recently obtained motorcycles, family members said. Michael Kerr said Jeremy had not had a motorcycle before but may have ridden motorcycles with Steven.

Wendy Kerr said her husband was an experienced rider.

She emphasized how much both were loved and how much they will be missed.

"Now that they're both gone," she said through her tears, "everybody around them has to make completely different plans and change their lives."

The Samantha and Jessica Kerr Trust Fund, in care of Nancy Kerr, has been set up through Farmers National Bank of Eau Claire, 153 Blair Road, Hilliards, PA 16040.

Visitation will be at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Butler, tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m., when the funeral service will be held.