Ethan Emerson Kearns

Ethan Emerson Kearns, 17, of McMinnville, Oregon, went home to be with Jesus on
Thursday, June 20th, 2024. He was surrounded by family and friends, ending a seven month battle with cancer.
Ethan was born September 24th, 2006, to Isaac and Nicole Kearns. Ethan attended
Dayton Schools until he transferred to Western Christian School at the beginning of his freshman year. Ethan (#8) continued to play football for the Dayton Pirates until last fall, midseason, after he was diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), a rare form of soft tissue cancer.
Ethan is best remembered for how he was- he loved a good debate, but, ultimately, brave, courageous, confident, compassionate, caring, kind, respectful, and loving. He was a young man that was special, not by star-power or intellectual prowess, but by the ineffable mystery and extraordinary beauty of his simple human heart. Ethan knew how to love, and he knew how to express love to those around him. Ethan cared for others and cared for how they felt. He was deeply competitive, but he wanted everyone to win in life. Ethan's favorite scripture and anthem during his cancer war was Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.'" Ethan's hope and final testament to everyone is to get to know Jesus and find out what plans he has for you. For Ethan, today is pain-free walking side-by-side with his Lord in Heaven!
Ethan is survived by his parents, Isaac and Nicole Kearns; his sister McKenna Thelander (Ean); grandparents Deborah Kearns, Lisa Lathrop, and Todd Dignan; aunts and uncles Sarah Brown (Travis), Josh Kearns, Lora Kearns, Abby Amerson (Casey), Caleb Kearns (Cressie), Haylee Bautista (Oscar), and Kelsey Shaffer (Anson); and 17 close cousins; Carly, Kya, Shawn, MacKenzie, Joshua, Cobey, Madeline, Brooklyn, Mylie, Logan, Lucy, James, Marlana, Joslynne, and Cora. Ethan is preceded in death by his grandfather, Calvin Kearns.
A Celebration of Ethan's life will be held on Tuesday, July 2nd at 3:30pm in the Ted
Wilson Gymnasium at Linfield College in McMinnville. A Go-Fund-Me page was set up after the initial diagnosis called, "Infinite 8: Ethan Kearns". All proceeds will go to the family to help lay their sweet boy to rest.