Rev. Abraham B. Kern (1879-1941)

KERN, GIBSON, WARD, FEVERS, BLISS, KELLY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal October 28, 1941 (page 4)

Funeral Services Held at Collins for Late Rev. A. B. Kern

Collins, Oct. 28--Funeral services for the later Rev. A. B. Kern of Colfax, Wash., who passed away on Monday evening, Oct. 20, after having been seriously injured in an auto accident on October 16, were held from the Church of Christ at Collins Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with the Rev. Dillinger of Des Moines, state secretary of the Church of Christ, in charge. He was assisted by the Rev. Lloyd Patton, pastor of the local church and the pastor of Elkhart Church of Christ. The Rev. Knight of the Highland Park church in Des Moines and the Rev. Darling of Maxwell were also present.

A mixed quartet composed of Mrs. K. W. Tomlinson, Mrs. Geo. Holmer, E. S. Stuntz and Tom Huntrod, with Mrs. Hugh Fertig as accompanist, sang three songs, "Face to Face," "The Lord Knows Why," and "It Is Well With My Soul."

The many lovely floral sprays and baskets of flowers banked the altar and front of the church. They were cared for and arranged by Mrs. D. W. Hubbard, Mrs. D. L. Haltermen and Mrs. Ada Swalwell. Interment was in the Peoria cemetery southeast of Maxwell, with the following longtime friends acting as pallbearers Frank Campbell, Jim Oswalt, John Thompson, Ivan Mullihan, Frank Day and Henry Stratton.

Rev. Dillinger, college classmate and friend of the deceased gave the following brief life history.

"Abraham B. Kern, son of John and Eunice Gibson Kern, was born in Michigan on Sept. 7, 1879, and moved to Iowa with his parents in his boyhood. He grew to manhood on a farm in Jasper county, southeast of Collins and in 1902 was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Ward of Ira.

To this union two children were born. They are Mrs. Pearl Fevers of Des Moines and Dale Kern of Bremerton, Washington. In 1908 he united with the Church of Christ and in 1909 entered Drake University to study for the ministry.

He has held pastorates at Mitchellville, Elkhart, Bondurant, Sully, Collins, Lake City and Reasoner in Iowa and was pastor of the Church of Christ at Colfax, Washington, at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, daughter Mrs. Fevers and son Dale, two sisters, Mrs. Mary Bliss and Mrs. Jessie Kelly of Des Moines, a brother Will Kern of Colfax and one grandchild.

On October 16, Rev. Kern and a friend from Clarkson, Washington were returning from a --- --------- --------- their car skidded and crashed into a Union Pacific passenger bus five mile north of Colfax, Washington. The car was thrown into a ditch where it burst into flames. A young soldier on his was to camp, sprang from the bus and dragged Rev. Kern from the car, but not before he was badly burned and cut from the glass. His companion was burned to death. After being taken to a Colfax hospital, Rev. Kern was given a slight chance for recovery but because of kidney complication, death came on Monday, Oct. 20. At that time the deceased was 63 years, 1 month and 13 days old.

The church Sunday was filled to overflowing with the friends of the deceased who came from far and near to pay their respects to the memory of one they held in high esteem.