David Vincent Kerns

Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, August 15, 2012

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — David Vincent Kerns, 95, died August 11, 2012. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Dorothea Boyd Kerns in August of 2004.

David Vincent Kerns was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 29, 1917, the son of Ella Mae (Young) Kerns and Clinton Bowen Kerns.  The family moved east in 1918, and David grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., Copperhill, Tenn., and Elizabeth, N.J.  His father was a mechanical engineer specializing in copper mining, who dreamed of becoming a citrus grower in central Florida and purchased land there in the 1930’s.  As a boy, David planted trees and worked the groves during his summers.  His mother was an artist and a healthy diet advocate.

David graduated from Emory University in 1937, received his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Florida in 1939 and was admitted to the Florida Bar the same year.  After several years of private practice in Tampa, he moved to Tallahassee and became Resident Attorney for the Florida Road Department (1949-1953), Research Assistant Supreme Court of Florida (1953-1958) and Director of the Florida Legislative Reference Bureau (1958-1968).  Subsequently, he served in a number of leadership roles in Florida government, including Executive Counsel, State of Florida and Special Master Florida Senate. He was proud to have served in all branches of Florida government – the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches.

David married Dorothea Boyd Kerns on September 5, 1942, at the Little Chapel of Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta.  He served in the Intelligence Service of the Army of the United States during World War II, both domestically and in the European Theater.  David’s life was marked by his devotion to his wife, Dorothea, his love of his family and friends, Trinity Methodist Church and his passion for model trains.

With a Florida Bar Association membership in good standing for 73 years, David Kerns was the second-longest serving member of the Florida Bar.  Other organizations in which he remained active until his death include:  Lambda Chi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Psi, Phi Alpha Delta, Tallahassee Bar Association, U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society, International Christian Leadership Association, Tallahassee Amateur Radio Society, Big Bend Model Railroad Association, National Model Railroad Association, Train Collectors Association, National Railway Historical Society and Friends of Gulf Coast Limited. He held leadership positions in many of these organizations. He was a co-founder of the Tallahassee Model Railroad Club in the 1950’s.

He loved and was loved by numerous friends, who knew him as a gentleman, genuinely kind and wise, with a delight for life, an expectant sparkle of joy in his eyes, an easy smile, and a devotion to fairness, curiosity and understanding.  He seldom criticized, but guided gently when asked and offered valuable counsel, to the benefit of many.  He maintained an active life past his 95th birthday, traveling regularly around the U.S. and abroad to visit his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and continued his planning and building of new model train layouts until just weeks before his death.

Survivors include his sons David V. Kerns Jr. (and wife Sherra) of Nashville Tenn., Clinton Boyd Kerns (and wife Gigi) of New Iberia, grandchildren Melissa Kerns of Tallahassee, David Kerns III (and wife Anu) of Copenhagen, and Morgan, Helen, Mitchell and Grace Kerns, all of New Iberia, step-granddaughter Sarah Lange (and husband Joshua) of Plymouth, CT, great-grandchildren Hannah and Lea Kerns of Copenhagen and step-great-grandchildren Joshua, Cyrus, Rebecca, Sammuel and Niahm Lange of Plymouth, his sister-in-law Fay Boyd of Bradenton, and devoted friends Carol Sheppard, Carlton and Nancy Ingram, and Lisa and Harry Miley, all of Tallahassee, and many generations of nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Marion Chandler and Charlotte Quina, his wife Dorothea, and several brothers- and sisters-in-law.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, August 16, 2012, from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT, at Culley’s Meadow Wood Funeral Home, Timberlane Road Chapel (850) 877-8191.

The Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. EDT, Friday, August 17, 2012, at the McGuire Center Auditorium in Westminster Oaks, with graveside service afterwards at Meadow Wood Memorial Park.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Children’s Home, 51 Main St., Enterprise FL., 32725 or to the Westminster Retirement Communities Foundation, 4449 Meandering Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32308.