Otto Kern

Otto Kern, 92, longtime resident of Hampden, died September 4, 2021 at home, with his wife of 68 years, Clara (Sinclair) Kern, at his side. Otto was born September 6, 1928 in New York City to recent German immigrants Otto Kern and Katherine (Ersfeld) Kern. The family moved to Massachusetts in 1938, eventually settling in East Longmeadow. Otto graduated from Technical High School in Springfield in 1945 and attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, receiving a degree in Civil Engineering in 1948. He served in the United States Army from 1951-53, after which he began a nearly four-decade career at Mass Mutual.
Otto is survived by his wife Clara; sons Jeffrey (Linda Lastoff), Kenneth (Susan), Steven (Josephine Nieuwenhuis), Andrew (Pun Ok), and David (Linda); grandchildren Alexander Kern (Allyson), Noelle Southworth (Clayton), Andrew Kern, Alesha Adamson, Nathan Adamson, Jeffrey Short, Jennifer Collins (Tim), and David Kern; great-grandchildren Brooke, Clara, Colby, Anisse, Eliza, Juliette, and Ella. He is also survived by his brother Philip (Claudia) and nephew Colin. He was predeceased by his brother William in 2015.
Family and friends are invited to gather on Sunday September 12, 2021 from 3-6pm in Forastiere Smith Funeral & Cremation, 220 N. Main St., East Longmeadow. A Funeral service will be on Monday September 13, 2021 at 11:00am in Federated Community Church, 590 Main St., Hampden. Burial to follow in Old Cemetery, Hampden. To leave an online condolence, visit www.forastiere.com.