Passing of a great collector – Dr. Bill Kern
A Passing of Note: William A. Kern, M.D. F.A.C.S. 6/6/1933 – 5/24-2019 (published in ISCA’s journal March, 2020).
Scout collector Bill Kern passed in May 24, 2019 at age 85 after a long and debilitating battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
For nearly eighty years Dr. Kern dedicated his life and lived by the Boy Scout Oath and Law. He joined the Cubs Scouts in the early forties, earning the Wolf and Bear ranks, with many Arrow Points while at Pack 19 in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. When his family moved to Frackville, Pennsylvania he joined Pack 591. He was the Den Leader and earned The Lion Award with eight more Arrow Points. He was among the first Cubs to earn The Arrow of Light Award.
He joined Troop 91 and progressed through the ranks in the minimum time earning the Eagle Rank with Bronze, Gold and three Silver Palms. During this time he served as Quarter Master, Scribe, Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader Assistant, Patrol Leader, and Assistant Scoutmaster. During the war he earned The Mac Arthur and Eisenhower Awards. In addition to serving in The Observer Corp he was a member of the troop band. He was also The Captain, and twice winner, of the First Aid Team at the TRI Council First Aid Meet, which had a great influence in his eventual decision to become a physician.
He was a six year camper attending Philmont Scout Ranch as a Scout and later served on the Camp Staff for two years. He was named Outstanding Scout for his council in 1946 and was elected into The Order of The Arrow and was selected for Senior Patrol Leader while attending the 1950 National Scout Jamboree.
During Bill’s college days at Penn State he was active in Alpha Phi Omega, plus helping with a local troop while also attaining grades to be selected to Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Delta MU, Honorary Scholastic Fraternities. He was also president of the Student Council and Vice President of his fraternity, Kappa Delta Roe. He maintained his busy schedule during his Post Graduate Training and Army Tours as Assistant Scoutmaster, Merit Badge Counselor and was a member of The Knights of Dunamis.
He received his medical degree from Temple Medical School in Philadelphia. Bill served in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served in Germany with the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment, and in Vietnam with the 24th Evacuation Hospital as the Chief Ophthalmic Adviser to the U.S. Surgeon General: 1967-68. He was awarded The Bronze Star during Tet Offensive.
He was a founding partner of Hemet Eye Medical and Surgical Center in Hemet, CA. He was a pioneer in outpatient cataract (inter-occular lens) surgery and glaucoma specialist. In the community he rose to become a 32nd Degree Mason.
It was in California with his sons Bill Jr. and Howard where he reconnected to Scouting serving with California Inland Empire Council. He received his Brotherhood and Vigil from Cahuilla Lodge 127.
Bill was passionate in many ways including his collecting of Scout patches which he picked up from Howard. The article above mentions his Eagle Scout collection was one of the reference sources for the first catalog of Eagle medals but he also built one of the best OA collections along with California camp patch collections and K of D collections in the country. Two of his sons are Eagle Scouts (Bill Jr., and Howard) and two grandsons are Eagle Scouts (Brandon and William A. Kern,III – B. T.) His spirit and joy of life will be missed.