John W. Kern III ’49

John died Jan. 30, 2018, in Washington, D.C. He was a retired judge of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

A lifelong resident of the District, a son of a judge for the United States Tax Court, John came to Princeton from Episcopal Academy and majored in history, graduating with honors. He was a member of Quadrangle Club, sang in the choir, and served on the board of the IAA. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1952, and after two years in the CIA, he clerked for Judge Harold Stephens on the Federal Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson appointed John to the D.C. Court of Appeals, a post he held until 1984, when he assumed senior status and became dean of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nev. He returned to the D.C. bench and continued to hear cases until he retired in 1987.

John was divorced from his first wife, Nancy. He is survived by their two sons, John IV ’80 and Stephen. He is also survived by his second wife, Margaret Cantlin, and her three children. To them all, we offer our sympathy and praise for a life well lived.