Cora Jo Kerns

Cora Jo Kerns, age 86, was born March 25, 1938, in Amarillo, Texas to John and Cora Lilly. After a long and blessed life, she passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on May 27, 2024. She grew up an only child, and except for a brief period early in life spent in San Diego during her father’s Naval Service, grew up in Amarillo. In Amarillo, she attended catholic secondary school and then graduated from Amarillo High School. The next chapter of her life led her to Lubbock, Texas where she attended Texas Tech University. While there she became an active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority where she met many life-long friends, and where she married the love of her life Robert Edwin Kerns, whom she had known since high school. She graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics. Following graduation, the young couple moved to Dumas, Texas where he took a job as a chemical engineer at the Diamond Shamrock Refinery located there. Soon thereafter two sons were born, Brent and Carter. The next few years kept her busy as a mother, homemaker and member of the First United Methodist Church. She subsequently earned a teaching certificate and began substitute teaching at the schools in town. This led to a full-time job at Dumas Junior High School where she became the 9th grade Algebra teacher. She taught there for 25 years. She loved the job, the faculty and her students. Known as a no-nonsense, tough, but caring teacher and disciplinarian, who held all her students to high standards, she was loved and respected by all. Over the years she changed many young lives for the better. Whether it was after school, weeknight or weekend tutoring, or participation in many extracurricular student activities, she was always willing to lend a helping hand and “go the extra mile” for those students in need. As her teaching skills and abilities became refined, she began to mentor and support younger teachers learning the skills of being a successful educator. Late in her career, one of her students caught her eye. A refugee from Vietnam, Hung Tran, who was separated from all the adult family members during the difficult escape from the country during the close of the Vietnam War. He eventually arrived in Dumas and enrolled in her Algebra class. Unfortunately, his living circumstances took a terrible turn and he found himself, at age14, homeless. Robert and Cora Jo took him in to live with them and eventually adopted him as their third son. During her time in Dumas, she developed a very tight and lifelong bond with 5 women. The group was unofficially known as “The Coterie”, they shared many life experiences and had many wonderful times together.

After retirement from teaching, she and her husband moved to San Antonio, Texas where she lived out the remainder of her years. She loved family, friends, get-togethers, parties, camping and hiking, especially in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, and SWEETS! One of her most favorite activities was travel, this she adored and was fortunate enough to visit all the United Sates and many foreign lands. But her greatest joys were her selfless service to her husband of 46 years, her family, and her students.

Cora Jo Kerns is survived by her 3 children, Brent and Leslie of Tyler, Texas, Carter of San Antonio, Texas and Hung and Maria of Houston, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. The family would like thank Tricia Brokaw RN, Edna D’Amico, Diana Moreno, Claudia Turnbill and AA Care Servies for the attentive safekeeping and wonderful and loving care which you provided for our mother and grandmother.

Cora Jo’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 29, 5:00 pm at Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough Ave, San Antonio. Memorial service “livestream” will be available via link from Porter Loring for those unable to attend. A reception will follow at 6:30 pm, Paesanos Restaurant in Lincoln Heights, 555 East Basse, San Antonio.

Click here to view the service for Mrs. Cora Jo Kerns

In lieu of flowers, Cora Jo has asked that donations be made to the Dumas Education Foundation.