Wilbur "Bill" Raymond Kern, age 84, of The Colony, Texas went to be with his Savior on Thursday, May 26th 2016. Bill was born on February 26th 1932 in Winchester, Virginia as the first born child of Margaret Marion Steele Kern and Wilbur Raymond Kern Sr. Bill grew up with his two brothers, Robert and Barry, in Winchester until he left to join the United States Navy at the age of 17. After his four years of service to this country, Bill worked for some time as the owner of two gas stations in Northern Ohio. He returned to military service in the 1960s as a Merchant Marine and then became an assistant service manager for an automobile dealership. Bill retired in the late 1980s from Stouffer Foods where he worked in warehouse distribution. Bill's greatest love was for Jesus and then to his beloved wife of 32 beautiful years, Gayle Sandra Seeman Kern. He was outgoing, loved making people smile, and was known to introduce himself as Silly Willy the Hillbilly from time to time. He was an avid Cleveland Indians fan and would golf 3-4 days of the week when he was able to. He was an active member of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship when he was well. God saw Bill through alcoholism and gave him a heart for the caring and recovery ministries at church. Bill spent most of his sobriety as a sponsor for other men and as a testament to God's abundant grace and love. He very much enjoyed describing his day as either "super-duper" or, sometimes, only "duper" and had a way of turning strangers into friends. Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Margaret and Wilbur Kern Sr., his brothers; Robert and Barry Kern, his son-in-law, Tom Carey, and his niece, Debbie Rapp. He is survived by his wife, Gayle Kern, his children; Jeanette Phillips (Mark), Joyce Lange (Tracy), Terri Carey, Sharon Takitch (Don), and William Kern, his grandchildren; Lauren Phillips, Krista Spencer (Nathan), Nicole Lange, Sydney Takitch, Benjamin Takitch, and Abigail Takitch, his great-granddaughter, Kamryn Spencer, his sister-in-law, Dorothy Kern, his niece, Beth McKinney (Patrick), nephew, Mark Kern, as well as extended family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Celebration of Life Tuesday, June 7th 2016 at 11:00 A.M. Bent Tree Bible Fellowship Church Carrollton Campus

Burial with Military Honors Friday, June 10th 2016 at 02:00 P.M. Bedford City Cemetery, Ohio Arrangements are under the direction of: ARIA Cremation Service & Funeral Home 19310 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas 75252 214-306-6700