Kenneth K. Kern

Kenneth K. Kern, 95, of Kutztown, Pa, died August 21, 2021. He was the husband of Ruth M. (Fisher) Kern. Born in Greenwich Township, in 1925, he was the son of George H. Kern and Ruth M. (Merkel) Kern.

As a youth, he delivered ice. In 1941, at age 16, he won a trip to Cuba with other local teens for being the paper carriers with the most new customers. This was quite an experience for a teenager at the time and they were featured in a newspaper article about their travels.

He was a member of the Kutztown High School Track Team winning the first State Championship in the Kutztown High School Sports Program.

In 1944 Ken was drafted into the U.S. Navy and departed for Scotland aboard the Queen Elizabeth. He then went to England and boarded the Landing Ship Tanker, LST25, on its way to Normandy. His crew made 23 trips between England and the Normandy beaches. He was a self-taught Radioman, 3rd class. During his service tenure he also traveled to the Philippines, Korea, China, Japan, Guam, and Okinawa and crossed the Equator in 1945.

He retired from Suburban Propane with 44 years of service in 1991 as a Special Projects Manager.

He was a member of various military service organizations, including, “The Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon,” and “The Domain of Neptune Rex,” aboard LST25. He was a Charter Member and former Secretary of the Kutztown Jaycees, former President of the Kutztown P.T.A., a member and former Secretary of St John’s Lutheran Church and it’s Building Committee, a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge #377 and Consistory for 48 years, past President of Pa. Propane Gas Association and the Pittston Rotary Club and a member of Rotary for 24 years, a member of Pa. Liquefied Petroleum Advisory Board, a 12 year member of the Kutztown Planning Commission and was appointed by Governor Tom Ridge to Draft Board #28 for 8 years. He served 18 years on the Kutztown Emergency Management Unit as Co-Coordinator and was a member of the Albright College Advisory Board for the Center of Local Government.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Renee Schick. He was predeceased by sisters, Frances Yorkavitch and Mary Eberly. He was like a dad to his step-daughter Ruth Zerr and step-son Wayne Fisher, and will be dearly missed by all.

Services are private.