MILLARD FORREST KERN
March 29, 1934 – April 24, 2022
Millard Forrest Kern, 88, of Bakersfield, California, passed away on April 24, 2022 after a long battle with complicated health issues. He passed away at home, where he wanted to be with family and friends by his side. He spent his last birthday, his 88th, at Bakersfield Heart Hospital, and not once did he complain.
Millard was born on March 29, 1934 to Tommy and Ida Kern in Marlow, Oklahoma. He then met the love of his life, Jeanie Dandridge, in Lamont, CA, in 1951 and married in 1953. They went on to have three daughters, Rita, Terri and Brenda.
He started out as a co-owner of Union 76 service station in 1965 in Greenfield, California, and went from there, starting and co-owning in 1966 the successful trucking business known as Kern Brothers Trucking.
He was a hard and dedicated worker and was proud of his rewarding accomplishments. He was a diesel engine genius. He could just listen to a diesel engine, knowing exactly what the problem was, take it apart, and put back together. They built the first set of TRANSFER unit trucks to hit Kern County and began building them one after another to add to the fleet. He loved every aspect of trucking. He lived, breathed and slept trucking. He had gears in his head that went round and round 24 hours a day. Always thinking about ways to fix things. Upon his retirement in 2012, he was a self-made millionaire and still continued consulting work for his families' businesses to this day. He loved his business. He loved trucking.
He did some traveling often and took journeys in his American Eagle 40-foot Diesel Pusher. Some of his favorite places he traveled were Quartside, AZ, Vegas, and Oregon. He went on to travel as much as he could but always found Bakersfield, California to be his Home Sweet Home.
The impact of his death is greater than any words can express for the family. He was our patriarch and rock. Things will never be the same for everyone who loved him. He was a kind and generous man. The world lost a great one.
He is survived by the love of his life of 68 years, Jeanie Kern, his three daughters, Rita Kern Corson; Terri and husband Carl Glatz; Brenda and husband Tom Walker; grandchildren, Michael Fitzgerald, Michelle Neasbitt, Larry Paul Fitzgerald, Randy Cox; great-grandchildren, Drew, Kaya, Madison, Kylee and Bradley.
Services will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mortuary at 9101 Kern Canyon Road, on Friday, May 6, 2022 in the Chapel from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Graveside/Garden of Serenity from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
The family and daughters wish to express their sincere gratitude to The Bakersfield Heart Hospital, Dr. Chandra and their team of doctors and everyone involved in the special care they gave our Dad. We will never forget it.