Frederick "Fred" Godfrey Kern III

Frederick Godfrey Kern, III, was born in Woodbury, NJ, on December 28, 1941, to the late Elizabeth and Frederick G. Kern, Jr. Soon thereafter, Fred’s father accepted a position as a chemical engineer in Baltimore, MD, which was where young Fred (aka “Pug”) spent much of his childhood. After his parents divorced, Fred moved to Oak Harbor, Washington, with his mother and stepfather, Herbert Miles. There he explored the Cascade Mountains and tidal pools of Puget Sound, which evoked a keen interest in science and the outdoors. In 1959, Fred entered the University of Maryland at College Park and also worked as a biological aide with the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries (BCF) facilities in Annapolis and Oxford, MD, which researched the health of shellfish species in Chesapeake Bay. Fred’s part time collegiate career was interrupted in 1964, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed for 18-months in Munich, Germany. After serving his country, Fred returned to the University of Maryland and completed his B.S. in Biological Sciences in 1970. Following graduation, Fred became a food inspector with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Six months later, however, Fred accepted a position as a Biological Technician at the Oxford Laboratory, which was a component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service. During his tenure at Oxford, Fred was enrolled in NOAA’s Senior Scientist Academic Program and attended John’s Hopkins School of Hygiene in Baltimore, where he did graduate studies under the mentorship of Dr. Frederick Bang. For 42 years until his retirement in 2007, Fred rose through the ranks and retired from federal service as the Officer in Charge of the Oxford Laboratory. He served in that capacity from 1987 – 1995 and then again in 1999 – 2004. Most of his career was invested in research to understand, diagnose, and mitigate the effects of disease associate with marine mollusks and prevent introductions of harmful, non-indigenous marine species. He became recognized as a national expert on invasive species introductions from ballast waters of foreign vessels and served as NOAA’s representative on the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and as the U.S. representative to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas. Fred also chaired the Green Crab Control Working Group that led to the development of the federal management plan for the highly invasive European Green Crab. Fred was a member of the Biological Review Team that was convened to review the status of Eastern Oysters in response to the petition to list the oyster as a threatened or endangered species. For such efforts, Fred received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2004 Bronze Medal for Commendable Service. Fred also served on the National Delegation of the United States-Japan Natural Resources Aquaculture Panel through the U.S. Sea Grant Program. He was a Past-Treasurer and member of the Society of Invertebrate Pathology, the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, and the Coastal and Estuarine Research Foundation. On May 18, Fred passed away with his beloved wife of 54 years, Sandra, by his side. They have two children, Melanie Tarr and Frederick G. Kern, IV (“Fritz”) and his wife, Rachel; and 5 beloved grandchildren. Fred is also survived by his brothers, Mark F. Kern and William J. Miles; along with his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister, Shawn S.M. Berkhardt, and son in law, Christopher Tarr. The family will receive guests and friends at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home on Friday, May 23 from 11am until 12pm. A memorial service will follow at the funeral home at 12pm. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Fred’s memory can be made to a charity of your choice. For online condolences, please visit: www.fhnfuneralhome.com.

Frederick "Fred" Godfrey Kern III

December 28, 1941 - May 18, 2025