The Rev. James Moritz Kerndt 1914-2010

KERNDT

Posted By: M. Durr - IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 4/26/2010 at 11:34:23

The Rev. James Moritz Kerndt
PEOSTA, Iowa -- The Rev. James Moritz Kerndt, 96, died peacefully in the Lord, Thursday, April 22, 2010, at New Melleray Abbey, Peosta.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday, April 26, at New Melleray Abbey, where friends may call from 7 to 8 p.m. today. The Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., is in charge of arrangements.

He was born on April 17, 1914, in Lansing, Iowa. He attended Loras College from 1932, graduating cum laude in 1936.

From 1937 to 1939, he was research assistant at Security First National Bank of Los Angeles. From 1939 to 1942, he was auditor of Richfield Oil Corp., Los Angeles. In 1942, he joined the Navy and served as a lieutenant in the South Pacific until 1946. James moved back to Lansing in 1946, and became vice president of Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank until entering New Melleray Abbey in 1951.

He was ordained a priest at the Abbey on April 23, 1957. He was elected by the community the Eighth Abbot of New Melleray on July 28, 1964. When he retired as Abbot, he served as chaplain to the nuns at Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey for 18 years.

Fr. James was an extremely generous man and he had an unusual gift for kindness and consideration for others. He became a noted spiritual director and confessor for many religious and lay people in the area. Even in the monastery, he kept in touch with his family and was very interested in the lives of his many nieces and nephews.

He will be dearly missed by his community and family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Gus, who was killed while serving during World War II, and Tom; and a sister, Mary.

Dubuque Telegraph Herald, April 25, 2010.
Contributor is not related and has no further information.

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