F. Lorene Kernan, 99

Lorene (Hayden) Kernan was born at Blackbird, NE on July 5, 1921 to Bertha (Rouse) and James R. Hayden. She passed away on May 1, 2021 at the age of 99 years at the Rock County Hospital Long Term Care Center in Bassett, NE.

As a small child she lived in Nebraska and Colorado. She grew up in Long Pine, NE and graduated from Long Pine High School in 1939. Lorene taught school following normal training, from 1939 to 1988, with one year in Keya Paha County and the remaining years in Rock County.

She married Fred Kernan on November 9, 1940 and moved to the farm northeast of Long Pine where she lived for 58 years until 1998.

Lorene completed her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska in 1966. She was very active in many professional and educational organizations.

Lorene had many special friends: Richard and Nancy Goble, Jack and Wardene Roark, Dora Johnson, Doris Newcomer, Kay Lynn Kalkowski, Mabel Koenig, Avis Moore, Donna Foxworthy, Bev and Jim Newport, Helen and Johnny Stec, Mary Gurney and all her former teacher friends.

Lorene was preceded in death by her husband, Fred in 1986; her parents; a baby sister; older brother, William “Bill” Hayden; and younger brother, Keith Hayden.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy Kernan of Collbran, CO; sister-in-law, Donna Hayden of Boise, ID and family Jim, Barbra Jo and Janet; special niece, Joyce (Neal) Muirhead of Valentine, NE and their family David (Michelle) Nicole, and Devin (Brandy) Dillion and Logan, and members of Ray and James Munson families.

Funeral services were held on Friday, May 7, 2021 at the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth with Pastor Jenice Epp officiating at the service. Interment followed in the Grandview Cemetery at Long Pine, NE. Casket Bearers were David Muirhead, Devin Muirhead, Dillion Muirhead, Logan Muirhead, Ervin Wulf and Tom Frank. Honorary Casket Bears were Helen Stec, Mary Gurney and Kay Lynn Kalkowski and all of Lorene’s other friends and students she taught. Memorials were suggested to the Heritage House Museum of Long Pine in Lorene’s name. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth was entrusted with the service arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.