~ IN MEMORY ~
Vietnam war veteran/NWA pilot/FAA admin
John Sherman Kern
October 6, 1942 ~ September 2,
2015
Obituary sites may be found online at
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary
...........................................................
John Sherman Kern, age 72, of Bluffton,
SC died September 2nd, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. He was preceded in
death by his parents, Selma and Kenneth Kern, and brother Ken Kern. He is
survived by his wife of 48 years, Marie (Mancini) Kern, son John Kern,
daughter-in-law Kimberly Kern and daughters Elizabeth (Kern) Christensen and
Amanda Kern, in addition to his four grandchildren Ashleigh, Paige, Caroline
Kern and Emily Christensen, all residing in Fairfax and Arlington, VA. John was
born October 6, 1942 and raised in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. He graduated
from Moon Township High School and Washington and Jefferson College in
Washington, PA. He entered the military in 1966 after flight training, and
served in Vietnam as a Pilot of the OV-1 Mohawk Intelligence Aircraft and
Infantry Officer Leader, where he received the Bronze Star, Air Medal with 21
Oak Leaf Clusters, and Vietnam Distinguished Service Cross. John joined
Northwest Airlines as a Pilot in 1971, and for the next 30 years worked for the
airlines and FAA in various capacities. While in the FAA he became the Director
of Flight Procedure, Training and Standards, and Service and Deputy Associate
Administrator for Aviation Standards. At Northwest Airlines he was the Senior
Vice President of Operations and Chief Safety Officer, all while continuing his
passion for flying whenever possible. John retired in 2001 in Sanibel Island,
FL. and Arlington, VA. While he still continued to improve airline safety and
efficiency, he found more time to enjoy cruising on his boat on the Intracoastal
Waterway from the Chesapeake Bay to his home dock in Sanibel Island, FL., and
traveled frequently with his wife Marie. John and Marie most recently resided in
Sun City, SC and frequently traveled to Northern Virginia to visit their
children and grandchildren. "ACE", as he is known to our family, was a loving,
generous, devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother in law, and
friend. His optimism and positive spirit will be greatly missed and never
forgotten. A memorial service will be held at St. Andrews Chapel, Pinckney
Colony Road, Bluffton, SC on Saturday, September 5th, 2015 at 1 o'clock pm. A
reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be
made to Hospice Care of the Low Country. An additional service will be held at
Arlington National Cemetery, with a time and date to be determined.
.Published in The Island Packet on Sept. 4,
2015
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