The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1927-11-10
JOHN KERNIGHAN
CALLED TOREWARD
Well Known Citizen Died at
st. Raphael's Hospital,
St. Cloud, Tuesday {
FUNERAL TODAY AT 2
Deceased Was Greatly Be-
loved by Entire Com
munity

Thursday morning of last week
John Kernighan, janitor of the
Sank Centre Public Schools since
May l, 1910, was getting shaved
in a local barber shop apparently
in good health and his usual gen.
ial self.
Shortly before nine o'clock he
began to suffer severe intestinal
pains and could harly wait until
the departments of the school had
taken up before he retired to his
home nearby and called fer
doctor. The physician administer
ed a strong opiate, but this did
not bring the expected relief and
he hustled him to the hospital at
st. Cloud. A diagnosis proved
that he was suffering from severe
ulcer of the stomach which had
eaten through into the intestines.
He was made as easy as possible
until he was relieved by the call of
his Maker about 800 A. M, Tues
day morning, Nov. 8, 1927.
He must have suffered for
months but his family and closest
friends did not hear a word Of
complaint from him.
The deceased was born at Ome-
NEE, Ontario, Can, March 8,
1867. When small lad his par
ents moved to Cleveland, o. He
came TO Sank Centre in the very
early eighties. For a number of
years he conducted bus and dray
line business in partnership with
the late William Meigs. He spent
several years on a farm northeast
of the city, and about three years
farming at Swift Current, Sask.
For number of years prior to his
employment by the school district
he was employed as night engineer
at the Electric Light plant, then
owned by the Central Power and
Milling Co., of which John Nc
Gibbon was the superintendent.
When the latter recommended Mr..
Kernighan for the janitorship
there was some skepticisrn among
the Board members as to whether
he was suitable man for the
place. With Scotch persistency
Mr.. McGibbon insisted and Mr..
Kernighan was employed.
It was fortunate day for the
schools of this city when he affih-
ated with the institution.
At this time it was not known
that he had any particular taste for
plants and shrubbery. This de-
veloped while fussing about with
the flowers on the school ground.
While always an excellent engi-
neer, plants and shrubbery were
his fort. His work on the school
grounds speaks for itself and has
attracted much favorable COM
ment from strangers visiting the
city.
His school work was his life. He
was scrupulous in his care of the
building and equipment. AS an il
lustration of his interest in the
building and grounds, Monday of
this week when Supt. Falk called
on him at the hospital, st. Cloud,
Mr.. Kernighan asked him to see to-
it that the vacuum cleaner was
properly handled by his assistants.
He made this request while suf-
fering from paroxysms of severe
pain.
Mr.. Kernighan was united in
marriage at st. Cloud to Miss
Emma Pierce, March z, 1888. Two
children were born to this union,
Mrs. Herbert Gray, of Donnybrook,
N. D., and Harvey Kernighan,
principal in the Public schools at
Leroy, Mower county, MINI. Mrs.
Kernighan and the two children
were at his bedside when the Grim
Reaper called him home.
Mr.. Kernighan was not MEM
Der of any church but in his every
day life he applied the Golden
Rule. Neither was he a member of
any fraternal organization. Years
ago he belonged to the Macabees.
He withdrew later. He was Q
charter member of Sank Centres
Volunteer Fire department organ
lied in the early eighties and was
on the active list at the time Of
his death.
The only vacation Mr.. Kernig-
han enjoyed from his year round
employment by the school, was last
kHoof;n,od ~, D,r.o Eo,,,l