Services for Benjamin O. (Ben) Kernes, 80 of Nebraska City, who died at St. Mary’s Hospital in Nebraska City, Nebraska, October 12, 1993 were Saturday, October 16 at the Gude Mortuary Chapel in Nebraska City. Rev. Todd Karges officiated. Burial was in the Rock Bluff Cemetery near Plattsmouth, Nebraska.

Benjamin O. Kernes was born June 21, 1913 at Tabor, Iowa to Elijah and Millie Weston Kernes. He attended rural school in Otoe County on Goose Hill Road.

He married Marie Fae Bates April 25, 1931 at Sidney, Iowa.

He had formerly lived in Blair, Valentine and Decatur, Nebraska and Norfolk, Virginia. He lived in the Blair community prior to his retirement in 1978 when he returned to Nebraska City.

He worked at the Norfolk Shipyards in Norfolk, Virginia; the Atomic Energy Plant in Hanford, Washington and the Blair Shipyards building Ice Breakers for the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. He also served as the master mechanic for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for about 30 years at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River bank and Channel Stabilization Work Project. He also served as the master mechanic for Cunningham-Kiewitt and as mechanic for Kelly Ryan.

He was a Missouri River fisherman, hunter and trapper-maintaining his commercial fishing license during his entire life. He and His wife ran a fish market for many years in Nebraska City.

He was a member of the Eagles Club in Blair and the Missouri River Rats Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and three sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Marie of Nebraska City; a daughter, Jeanette R. Lien of Nebraska City; a son and daughter-in-law, Ben O., Jr. and Mary Beth Kernes of Julian, Nebraska; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Kernes, Thomas Kernes and Juliet Kernes; a sister, Vera Whaley of Omaha; half-sister, Geneveve Massie of McMinnville, Oregon; half-brother, Medford James of Nebraska City and sister-in-law, Sally Wilkerson of Omaha.

Memorials may be given to the Meriweather Lewis Missouri River History Museum at Brownville, Nebraska or the Rock Bluff Cemetery Association.

Gude Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~