William Eugene Kershner Jr.

The wonderful life of William (Bill) Eugene Kershner, Jr. came to an end as he passed into Heaven on March 11, 2022 at the age of 87. Bill was born on August 29, 1934, in Troy, NY to Margaret Geyer and William E. Kershner. Due to his father’s career, Bill grew up in Binghamton, NY, New Haven, CT, Harrisburg, PA, Pittsburgh, PA and finally Buffalo, NY where he graduated from Kenmore West Senior High School. Bill studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University before enlisting in the United States Air Force to serve during the Korean War.

During his four years in the Air Force, Bill studied Chinese at Yale University Institute for Far Eastern Languages, which allowed him to intercept, translate and report conversations between enemy pilots and their ground controllers on the small island of Pyong-Yong-do off the coast of North Korea. He then studied the Czech language at Cornell University and was stationed in Bingen am Rhine, a small town on the Rhine River, situated on a hilltop that gave good radio reception from the Czech border. It was here Bill honed his deep appreciation for German beer and wine.

Bill met the love of his life Claudette (Bunny) Schoening at Buffalo’s Brunner’s Tavern in 1960. They soon fell in love, became engaged and were married for 54 years. Bill and Bunny were blessed with two daughters Laura and Amy, and the family enjoyed a wonderful time together in Snyder, NY as the girls grew up. One of his girls’ fondest memories is of him shoveling snow in the backyard to reveal a natural ice rink underneath for the duration of the cold Buffalo winters. The young family often took road trips and enjoyed vacations together, and when the girls left the nest Bill and Bunny took several trips to Europe. Later in life Bill especially enjoyed spending time with his great grandchildren. He is remembered as being exceptional when choosing gifts for them.

Bill was employed by the National Gypsum Company from around 1960 to 1993, first in Buffalo then in Charlotte, NC where the company moved it’s headquarters after the Blizzard of 1977 hit Buffalo. He began as a clerk and worked his way up to Manager of Computer Systems, during the infancy of the computer age. Bill always wanted to improve himself and loved to learn. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at the State University of New York at Buffalo and joined the Association for Systems Management, a professional organization, where he was President of the Buffalo Chapter for two terms. He was then elected to the International Board of Directors of the Association.

After retirement Bill became interested in family history and genealogy and took up the family research from distant relatives already gathering information. For 18 years he edited and published Kershner Kinfolk, which was distributed to family and libraries across the country. He often bragged that he traced his ancestors all the way back to Charlemagne.

Always wanting to keep busy in retirement, Bill began working part-time at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where he enjoyed working with the public, especially school children, and where he made many dear friends.

Bill Kershner was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Bunny. He is survived by his brother James Geyer Kershner (Sandra) of Punta Gorda, FL, his daughters Laura Zaverton (Tim) of Gastonia, NC and Amy Perry (Dan) of Raleigh, NC, his grandchildren Stephanie Busshart (Ryan), Katie Hamilton, Jamie Zaverton, Danny Perry (Jaime) and Dare Bailey, his great grandchildren Kadence, Peyton, Katrina, Haywood, Caroline, Eloise and Theo, nephew Bill Kershner II (Kathy) and niece Suzi Rubio (Sergio).

A private celebration of life will be held for the family, and memorial gifts may be made to the SPCA, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or to the donor’s favorite charity.

The family would like to thank the employees of Carmel Place Retirement Community, Terra Bella Cramer Mountain and Belaire Health Care for their compassionate care of their father.