Gary M. Kern

Gary Michael Kern passed away peacefully at BayCare Alliant Hospital in Dunedin, Florida on March 28th, 2016 at the age of 63. Gary is survived by his ever-loving mother, Dolores Kern Walters (Mitchell) of Safety Harbor, Florida; Devoted daughter, Victoria Kern of San Marcos, Texas; And caring sister, Linda Fitton (Kern) of Safety Harbor, Florida. He is preceded in death by his father Donald Kern of Princeton, Illinois; Step-father James Walters of Safety Harbor, Florida; And Brother-in-law Richard Fitton of Safety Harbor, Florida. Gary Michael Kern was born on August 2nd, 1952 in Princeton, Illinois to Donald and Dolores Kern. After spending most of his childhood in Illinois, he settled with his family in Seminole, Florida. He graduated from Seminole High School in 1970. After high school he began working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C. but shortly returned back to Florida where he became a successful business owner and tradesman, working more than 40 years in the painting industry. Gary’s many enjoyments included camping in the Great Smokey Mountains, good old classic rock n’ roll and his favorite sports team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His love of cars, trucks and hot rods stemmed from the times he shared with his father at Kern Motor Company in Illinois. During retirement, he developed a passion for cooking and baking, especially weekend cookouts on his charcoal grill. Gary's legacy will live on through the many lives he has touched during his life. He was an incredibly talented man who was wise beyond his years. His daughter remembers him as a humorous and compassionate father who encouraged her to always pursue her goals. A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 11:00 AM, with a gathering of family and friends at 10:00 AM at Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home – 2853 Sunset Point Rd, Clearwater, FL 33759. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Gary Kern's life, so come ready for a laugh in Gary’s honor. Memorial donations can be sent to a GoFundMe page (www.gofundme.com/8hwkbcpm) his daughter has established to help alleviate any unanticipated costs and/or The National Kidney Foundation (www.kidney.org), a non-profit organization that is dedicated to fostering awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease. His daughter, Victoria, would like to thank the staff who cared for Gary at BayCare Alliant Hospital for their devotion to his well-being. She would especially like to thank an exceptional nurse named Christine for allowing her to be close to her father even though they couldn’t be together all of the time.