Charles Virgil Kerns

CHARLES VIRGIL KERNS 1936 – 2025 Charles “Charlie” Virgil Kerns age 88 of Plattsmouth, NE passed away on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the Bellevue Medical Center. Charlie was born on December 29, 1936 to George Lewis Kerns and Eva T. (Mayer) Kerns in Holton, KS. His family moved to Plattsmouth when he was a young child. He attended Plattsmouth Public Schools and he graduated from Plattsmouth High School with the class of 1954. Charlie met the love of his life Ella Mary Nielsen his freshman year of high school. Charlie and Ella Mary dated during their high school years. After graduating from high school, Charlie joined the U.S. Navy and even though he wasn’t stationed in Korea, he served during the Korean Conflict. While he was on leave from the Navy, Charlie came home and married Ella Mary on October 8, 1955 in Red Oak, IA. After proudly serving his country in the Navy, Charlie went to work for a dredging company and worked on underwater pipelines and utility construction, which took him and his family all crossed the United States and also into Canada and Mexico. Plattsmouth was always home to Charlie and in September 1976 he returned to Plattsmouth and started his own construction company Kerns Excavating. The company started with a single backhoe and Charlie and Terry, his son, as the two employees. Even though Charlie had retired, he still kept up with what was happening with the company now that Terry, Ken, and Chris are running the company. He was a was a member of First Presbyterian Church, longtime member of the Plattsmouth Booster Club, and Plattsmouth Masonic Lodge #6 A.F. & A.M. all of Plattsmouth. Charlie is survived by his two daughters: Tammy Gebhart and her husband Bill of La Vista, NE and Tallie VanWesten and her husband Glenn of Plattsmouth, NE; her son: Terry Kerns and his wife Sandy of Plattsmouth, NE; six grandchildren: Marty VanWesten and his wife Keisha, Ken Kerns and his wife Nicolette, Alicia Wolles and her husband Patrick, Amy Kotera and her husband Mitch, Nick Gebhart, and Chris Kerns and his wife Colette; eleven great grandchildren: Gryffyn, Elle Marie, Hadley, Loretta, George, Wilhelmina, Charlie, Molly, Lillian, Crosby, and Henrietta; his brother-in-law: Jerry Sievers of Bellevue, NE; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents: George and Eva Kerns, his wife: Ella Mary Kerns, and his sister: Joyce Sievers. Visitations will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., with a Masonic Rites Service at 7:00 P.M., on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at Roby Funeral Home in Plattsmouth. A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 A.M., Thursday, June 12, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church in Plattsmouth with Pastor Matthew Coplen officiating. The Pallbearers will be Marty VanWesten, Alicia Wolles, Ken Kerns, Amy Kotera, Chris Kerns, and Nick Gebhart. The Honorary Pallbearers will be Mike Bowman, Dave Nielsen, Ran Nielsen, Steve Nielsen, Stu Nielsen, Scott Sievers, and Kevin Wagner. Military Rites will be conducted by the U.S. Navy Funeral Honor Guard. His Final Resting Place will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Plattsmouth. Memorial donations can be made to the Family (a suitable charity will be chosen at a later date). Services are entrusted to Roby Funeral Home, 346 Avenue A, Plattsmouth, NE 68048 (402) 296-3123 robyfuneralhome@charter.net www.robyfuneralhome.com

Charles Virgil Kerns

December 29, 1936 - June 7, 2025