Cletus Kerns

Hancock, Maryland

Cletus E. Kerns, age 82, of Hancock, died on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at his home.

Born February 6, 1932, in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., he was the son of the late Gilbert and Mary Peck Kerns.

He was a veteran who served in the U.S. Air force.

He was a self-employed excavator and timber man.

He was a member of the James W. Bowers Lodge #173 AF & AM; and of the Webster B. Harrison Post #26 American Legion, both in Hancock, Md.

He attended the Hancock Assembly of God Church in Hancock.

He is survived by his wife, Freda M. Younker Kerns; three sons, Steven Kerns, of Hagerstown, Md., Bernard Kerns, of Hancock, and Vernon Lee Kerns, of Hedgesville, W.Va.; three daughters, Debbie Elaine Kerns, of Mercersburg, Pa., Brenda Mae Ritz, of Warfordsburg, Pa., and Brenda Lee Bain, of Hancock; four sisters, Phyllis Batt, of Hagerstown, Md., Jeanette Hulland and Tammy Faye Moats, of Hancock, and Velma Keller, of Greencastle, Pa.; two brothers, Dwight Kerns, of Greencastle, Pa., and Alston Kerns, of Illinois; thirteen grandchildren; twenty-five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, he was also preceded in death by one son, Cletus Denver Kerns; three brothers, Robert Kerns, Melvin Kerns and Harry Kerns; four sisters, Catherine Miller, Violet Messner, Ada Kerns and Edna True.

A service will be on held Tuesday, August 26, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. at the Hancock Assembly of God Church, 431 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Hancock, Md. Rev. Don Preston will officiate. Burial, with a military service by the Tri-State Honor Guard, will be in the Orchard Ridge First Church of God Cemetery, Orchard Ridge Road, Hancock.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., at the Church on Monday, and from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Arrangements were handled by the Grove Funeral Home, 141 West Main Street, Hancock, Md.

Online condolences will be accepted at www.grovefh.com