RICHARD KERN

KERN, Richard Paul, 58, of Richmond, died on December 13, 2011 after almost 14 years of the hard fight against cancer. He died peacefully among his lovely family, Denise, devoted wife; and his three children, Jillian, Justin and Jessica. His closest friends and family were there to the end supporting him. He was the son of the late William and Mary Kern. His siblings, George, Bill and Mary Theresa; and five great brothers-in-law, survive him. Rick held Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Criminology from Florida State University and his undergraduate from King's College. Rick was the director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission. He has had a fingerprint in policies that have made Virginia safer against crime and have made the Virginia Sentencing Commission a leader among similar bodies in the country. Rick rarely missed a day of work, in spite of his disease, giving Virginia's taxpayers all he had as a loyal state servant. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Friday at The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Following the Mass, the family will receive friends in the Cathedral Parish Hall until 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cross Over Ministry at 8600 Quiocassin Road, Suite 102, Richmond, Va. 23229,

and/ or the Kidney Cancer Association at www.kidneycancer.org. For a more detailed obituary of Rick's life and to leave remembrances, please visit blileys.com.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.