John George Kern

John George Kern, 73, of Cheyenne, Wyoming passed away peacefully at his home on July 2, 2017. John was born August 18, 1943, to Carl and Fannie (McEachern) Kern in Caldwell, Kansas. He was the youngest of seven children and spent his early years on the family farm. John grew up to be an outstanding athlete, and upon graduating from Caldwell High School in 1961, he began his college career at the University of Oklahoma on a full-ride athletic scholarship. He played collegiate football and baseball at OU while pursuing a degree in physical education. John transferred to Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas his junior year where he earned his B.S. in Education in 1967 and played first baseman for the Hornet baseball team.
John earned many honors on the field during his college career. He was named to the All Big 8 Conference Team in 1964 while at OU and earned All American Honorable Mention in 1965 while at ESU, where he led the Hornets in home runs and defensive-outs. He was also a member of the 1965 National Tournament Championship team, the Wichita Rapid Transit Dreamliners, a semi-pro team.
While a stand-out on the athletic fields, John was the first to joke that he was no stand-out in the classroom. He met his first love, Charlotte Ballard, when she offered to help him with his college studies. John and Charlotte married in 1966 and had two sons, Kelly John and Charles (Chuck) Kern. He graduated from ESU in 1967 and began his career in education as a teacher and coach in Hillsboro, Kansas. In 1986, John returned to Emporia where he completed his Master’s Degree in education administration. John’s career took him from the farmlands of Kansas to Gillette, Wyoming where he served the community as a teacher, coach, and administrator for 23 years. He served as the president of the Wyoming High School Activities Association 1990-91. After leaving Wyoming, John retired from education in 2005 as an administrator in Scott City, Kansas.
John married his life-long friend, Cheryl Wood, in 1997, and they resided in Kansas and returned to Cheyenne after retirement He became a step-father to Cheryl’s children, Kathleen Bates and Mike Wood. He filled his days keeping up on the news, checking wheat prices, rooting for the Sooners, and generally being ornery. If you were teased by John, it meant he loved you. John’s favorite pastime, though, was keeping up with the busy lives of his grandchildren, Isaac, Elijah, Charlotte, Logan, Jack, Jayson, and Jarrod who were his absolute pride and joy, and they couldn’t have been blessed with a better role model.
John touched the lives of many people who were lucky enough to know him. He leaves a tremendous legacy for his family, and he will be deeply missed.
John was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Fannie Kern, his siblings, Charles, Paul (Doc), Frank, Mary, and Pauline. He is survived by his sister Rose Anne of Wichita, Kansas, his wife, children and step children, grandchildren, and numerous friends.
Interment has taken place in Hazleton, Kansas.

Donations can be made to The John Kern Memorial Fund to aid Wyoming school athletes who may need financial assistance in order to participate in sports has been established at Western States Bank, P.O. Box 700, Laramie, WY 82073.