Obit: Kern, Roger (1938 – 2016)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Kern, Mohs

Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, WI) 19 Mar 2016

Kern, Roger (15 FEB 1938 – 6 FEB 2016)

Roger Kern died February 6, 2016 at the Tomah Veteran's Home. Rodger, more commonly known as Roger, was born in Warner Township Greenwood, WI on February 15, 1938 to George Henry Kern Jr. and Selma Wilhelmina (Mohs) Kern. Roger was buried in Brooklawn Memory Gardens near his parents on after a brief memorial service in Tomah.

He attended the Two Mile School near Wisconsin Rapids, Hill Crest School in Wood County's Rock Township. In his early years Roger was an athlete, participating in high school wrestling and cross country. Roger graduated from Marshfield Senior High School in 1957, after which he worked briefly for by the Roddis Plywood Corporation and Marshfield Homes.

Roger enlisted in the Army and started his military service with training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri in April 1959. Later in 1959 as a Private, he received a U.S. Army Ordinance School Certificate of Proficiency in automotive repair at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Also during his service he received a certificate of achievement for skiing 100 miles over variable terrain in Alaska in 1960 as a Private 1st Class. In 1961 he achieved the rank of SP4 (T) (E-4) P-1 after doing what the Army deemed "overseas" duty at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army Reserves in 1965.

After completing his service, Roger returned to work for Marshfield Homes. Roger went on to be employed by a number of local companies; among them were Graham Manufacturing, Badger Store Fixture Co., Northernaire Homes at Auburndale, Mid-West Diversified, Opportunity Development Center and Arpin Dairy Inc.

In his personal life, Roger was frugal man who enjoyed hunting, loved to watch deer and took joy in riding Allis Chalmers tractors. Roger spent his last years in the warm care of the staff of the Veteran's Hospital at Tomah.