Joseph (Joe) M. Kern

Joseph (Joe) M. Kern, 98, passed away from natural causes in the evening of Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at his residence at Sunrise Senior Living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had recently celebrated his 98th birthday with all his surviving children and several friends. Joe was born July 6, 1926, in Suffolk, Virginia. He along with his four siblings, Jean Adele, Fredrick Joseph, Virginia Elizabeth and Nan Helen, were born to Joseph Melchoir Kern and Adele Upchurch. Joe married Mary Syrett of Charleston, SC and they brought four children into this world, Fredrick Mark, Joseph William, Stella Nan and Virginia Adele. Joe married Cleone Cook of Illinois and they brought a son, David Joseph, into the world. Joe spent the remainder of his life in a committed relationship with Pat Wertz of Columbia, SC. Joe served in the US Army then took employment from Southern Bell (later Bell South). He ended his 36-year career as the manager of the Call Switching/Routing Department. Joe was an active member of Saint Andrews Lutheran Church in Charleston, SC and Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Columbia, SC. Among other things, he enjoyed leading Adult Bible Study classes. Joe loved to read anything from spy mystery books to Ogden Nash poetry to religious studies. Joe was a skilled handy man, building garages, patios, decks, irrigation systems and installing ceiling fans or whatever friends or family needed. Joe is predeceased by his four siblings, son Mark, wife Mary, wife Cleone and committed partner Pat. He is survived by four children, Joseph (wife Carolyn), Nan (husband James), Virginia and David (plus practically a daughter, Bradna Bowers of Charlotte), granddaughter Madalyn Diane Kern of Salt Lake City, UT, nephew James (Jim) Burdette of Jacksonville, FL, and several nieces. A reception will be held at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1301 Richland Street Columbia, SC 29201 on September 14th at 11:30 am. This will be followed by a Service in the Sanctuary at 1pm. The Interment will be at Bush River Memorial Gardens 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212 at 2:30pm. The family requests no flowers but instead suggests any gift be made to Via Health Partners of Charlotte (donatehospice.org) or a Hospice Program of choice.