LYONS — Michael Dean Kern, age 75, of Lyons, Kan. died on July 28, 2024. He was born Nov. 4, 1948, the first son of Paul and Verna Lee (Adams) Kern. Raised on a farm, he was fortunate to be part of the last generation to attend the Rice County country school system, graduating from Sunny Four Grade School in 1962. He excelled at Bushton High School and later at Kansas State University where he earned a BA in Business Administration. Always the family intellectual he read everything from Tolstoy to Hunter S.

Thompson. An accountant by trade, later in life his outside interests ranged from raising hydrangeas to riding his beloved Harley. Always the cynic, he possessed a wickedly dry sense of humor until his passing.

Sober for over 43 years, he gave back to the communities where he lived in North Carolina and Florida through being an AA sponsor for a number of good people needing support and compassion in their journey. He made a profound difference in the lives of those lucky individuals and their families.

After retirement in 2014, Mike returned to the Kern farmstead near Frederick where he lived until moving to Country Living of Lyons in early 2023, and then to Roanoke, Va. to be close to his brother, Jim in June of this year.

Special thanks go out to Lynn Trifonoff, often describe as our “brother from another mother”, who has been the rock the Kern family has leaned on in the tough times, to Carolyn Kern for her regular visits to Mike while at County Living of Lyons, to Jon Shubert for always being at the ready to help support Mike living on the farm after his health declined, and a heartfelt thank you to Agnes Smith. Mike’s brother Jim was responsible for his care the last two years of his life, and living 1,200 miles away in Virginia that task would have been impossible if not for the commitment and love Agnes showed in supporting Mike’s daily needs.

Thanks to the entire staff of Country Living of Lyons, Harmony Memory Care of Roanoke, VA and the nurses and doctors in the Palliative Care unit of Carillion – Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his brothers Jim (Julie) Kern of Eagle Rock, Va., Rick (Irina) Kern of Boca Raton, Fla., Ed (Carolyn) Kern of Chase, Kan., and nine nieces and nephews.

Mike’s ashes will be returned to the soil where he was raised in a private ceremony later this fall.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Aug. 1, 2024