It was a way of life.
And for 53 years he looked out for his family and the people of Liberty Township – as a husband, father, firefighter, a trustee, farmer, nursery owner, volunteer, outdoorsman, and conservationist.
The U.S. Army veteran died April 12 at the age of 79 after a long battle with lung and pancreatic cancer.
“I was raised to believe public service was your civic duty,’’ Kern said in an interview after leaving office.
Born and raised in Wyoming, Kern served 10 years as a volunteer firefighter there. His grandfather spent 35 years on council.
After moving to the family farm in Liberty Township in 1968 when he married his wife Katy, Kern became a volunteer firefighter in Liberty Township. He and Katy operated Kern Nursery and Landscaping until it closed in 2005.