Kenneth Ira Kersch

Kersch - Kenneth Ira, 60, of Boston, MA. Ken was a 1982 graduate of East Islip High School. He passed away from cancer on Thanksgiving Eve, November 27, 2024. A 1986 graduate of Williams College, Ken also received his law degree from Northwestern University and then a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University. Dr. Kersch was a preeminent scholar of the United States Constitution, American political and constitutional development, and conservative constitutional thought. He published four well-regarded books in these fields, winning three of the American Political Science Association's top awards for books. From 2007 until his death, Dr. Kersch was Professor of Political Science at Boston College. Prior to joining the Boston College faculty, he was professor at Lehigh University and Princeton University. He truly enjoyed teaching, and he was greatly admired and appreciated by his students. He was often a guest lecturer on the U.S. Constitution at colleges, universities, and centers around the country. He worked with staff at the National Constitution Center to select primary texts for the NCC's Founders' Library. Ken was a lover of art, music, literature, and history, and had a passion for the outdoors. Ken is survived by his parents, Barbara and Bob Kersch of Great River; his brother, Scott (Mary) of Great River; his sister,

Katherine Woodward-Thomas (Michael) of Berkeley, CA; and his long-time college friend, Ted Holsten of Lawrenceville, NJ. A private service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to The Trevor Project.