Kernan D. Colyer of Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2018, following a long struggle with lung disease. His wife Ellen was by his side. Kernan was born on August 7, 1937, in Denver, Colorado, to the late Clinton C. and Grace (nee Deems) Colyer.
Kernan graduated from North High School in 1955. By profession, he was an electronics technician and had a very exciting career working extensively for defense contractors on various military projects. In the 1960’s he worked for Lockheed Corp. and participated in many missile launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, then at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. In 1972 he joined the defense unit of Texas Instruments, Inc. as a field service representative. He had the opportunity to ride along on several Navy ships in Southeast Asia, maintaining equipment supplied by TI. He and Ellen also enjoyed living in Frankfurt, Germany for a total of nine years while Kernan worked with the US Air Force. After that he spent 5 fascinating months in Israel working with the Israeli Air Force. His last assignment before retiring in 1999 was at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, NM, supporting the Stealth Fighter Jets.
After retiring he and Ellen moved back to her home state of Pennsylvania and lived just outside of Carlisle for 18 years. They relocated to Silver Spring Township in July of 2017. Kernan volunteered with the Cumberland County Red Cross assisting people who were displaced by fires or other disasters. He was named Volunteer of the Year in 2007. He was very proud of the work he did and greatly admired the contributions of the Red Cross.
Kernan was preceded in death by his parents and his grandson Andrew Colyer-Anderson. He is survived by his wife, Ellen, his sister Joan (Mel) Green, his 4 children, Cynthia (Richard) O’Melia, Joyce Colyer (Jesse), Mark Colyer (Laureen), Sherry (David) Zimmerman, his grandchildren David O’Melia, Joshua O’Melia, Hannah Colyer, Amy Walker, Christopher Thomas, 12 Great grandchildren and 4 Great Great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 30th at 10:00 am. in the cremation garden at Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery 10201 North Grant st. , Thornton, Colorado 80229.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Kernan’s honor to the Cumberland County chapter of the American Red Cross at 79 E Pomfret St, Carlisle, PA 17013, and/or the American Lung Association at 3001 Old Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011.
Fond memories of Kernan and expressions of sympathy for his family may be shared at the guest book below.
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