Edward (“Ted”) R. Kern, 62
Edward (“Ted”) R. Kern of Cumberland, Maine passed away peacefully on January 8, 2018, in the loving company of his family, at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. Through all the adversity that pancreatic cancer presented over the past 3 ½ years, Ted’s positive attitude and physical fortitude enabled him to far surpass the expected survival rate for this disease.
Ted was born on November 27, 1955 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania to William R. and Anne H. Kern. He attended Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey and graduated from Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. After graduation, Ted moved to the New York City metro area, where he developed his career in sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical and publishing industries. While attending his brother Dave’s engagement party, he met the love of his life, Ginny. Two years later they were married at the Wilson Memorial Chapel in East Boothbay, Maine. After honeymooning in Bermuda, life started for the two in Maine, where Ted entered the upstart cellular communications industry at Maine Cellular. Soon thereafter, Ted and Ginny started their family, and home, in the Portland area. He was extremely devoted to his wife and family. Always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need, that describes Ted.
Once Ted had settled into the Cumberland community, he energetically involved himself in the following organizations: the Cumberland Congregational Church’s Woodbank Program; the Cumberland/North Yarmouth Lions Club; and, the Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts of Cumberland/North Yarmouth. He also was active with coaching/supporting his children in the various sporting events they participated in. As time allowed, Ted avidly enjoyed skiing, boating, biking, hiking/walking, tennis, reading, photography, and he savored moments spent with family and friends at Ocean Point in the Boothbay Region.
Ted is survived by his wife of 29 years, Ginny; two sons, Samuel, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Grant, of Portland; daughter, Jennifer, of Cumberland; mother, Anne, of Rye, New Hampshire; brother, John, and wife, Sharon, of Salt Lake City, Utah; brother, David, and wife, Susan, of Merrimac, Massachusetts; mother-in-law, Joan Sandstrom, of Boothbay; brother and sister-in-law, Brook and Karen Ellis, of Wilmington, Delaware; brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Debby Jones, of Boothbay. Ted is preceded in death by his father, William Richard Kern. Ted also leaves behind many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Ted will be honored in a service at the Cumberland Congregational Church on Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. A reception will immediately follow the service. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ted’s life.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service website, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Ted’s honor to:
The Cumberland Woodbank at https://www.woodbank.org/
or The Ocean Point Colony Trust at https://oceanpointcolonytrust. org/Donate