ROMAN B. KERSCHEN

Dateline/Kingman

Born August 1, 1926 on the family farm in St. Leo, Kansas, Roman spent all 94 years of his life in Kingman County except leaving at age 17 to spend 2 years in the US Navy from 1943-1945 as a Motor Machinists Mate Third Class. Roman met his wife of 51 years, Rose Mary Sheahan at a wedding dance.  Rose Mary actually asked a friend if he was "OK" to let him take her home. Little did she know where that would take her.

A life-long 4 ^th Degree Knights of Columbus member of 74 years, nothing defined Roman more than his consistent Catholic faith. He taught high school religion classes for 20 years at St. Patrick's parish in Kingman from 1966-1986 and spent decades taking the 2 am praying hour at Adoration.

If religion was his first and longest passion, sports was his second. He started coaching youth baseball and softball in 1962 and coached literally hundreds of boys and girls, up to 4 teams at a time, until watching his own son play college baseball at KU through 1978 curtailed his youth coaching. Roman's baseball passion started by listening to the Brooklyn Dodgers on the radio as a child at home.  He remained a Dodger fan his entire life, even getting to see a game in Los Angeles Dodger stadium in 1965 and watched hundreds if not thousands of KC Royals games on TV. Roman rarely missed a child or grandchild's sporting, musical or religious event. He was a loyal supporter of all KHS games for decades.

One would rarely see Roman wearing anything but Kansas Jayhawks blue and crimson. He lived for basketball season attending many games and Big 8 and Big 12 tournaments with like-minded friends reveling in their 1988 and 2008 championship seasons.

Despite a litany of health issues that began 1 month after getting married when contracting polio, Roman would attribute his long life to the Good Lord and walking.  He had many positions working at Cessna Aircraft for 32 years, but the last many years was as a parts expeditor. He was every aircraft model's assembly line go-to guy to keep it moving.  After retiring on his 62 ^nd birthday in 1988, he waved to many commuters on his 4-mile daily walk on west 54 before attending daily Mass. After retirement he worked for Livingston Funeral Home ushering at services.

The youngest of 9 children, he was preceded in death by his wife Rose Mary Sheahan Kerschen, grandson Michael Larson, parents Michael and Anna Bugner Kerschen and 8 siblings; Barbara Nicholas, Edward Kerschen, Henry Kerschen, Marie Greiving, Genevieve Arensdorf Laggart, Marcella Goetz, Lorraine Adelhardt, and Elmer Kerschen. Survived by his 7 children; Carol (Brad Stephenson) Walle of Buhler, Jan (Lyn) Johnson of Las Vegas, Mike (Sue) of Spokane, WA, Donna (Steve) Glosemeyer of Wentzville, MO, Kevin (Linda) of Raleigh, NC, Denny (Rita) of Goddard, Peggy (Kevin, deceased) Freeman of Wichita, and 22 grandchildren; Amie Johnson Eldred, BJ Walle, Kelly Larson, Ryan Glosemeyer, Jeremy Johnson, Megan Walle Tajchman, Doug Glosemeyer, Chase Johnson, Matthew Kerschen, Scott Glosemeyer, Katherine Kerschen Doering, Sydney Kerschen Infinger, Emmie Kerschen, Jordan Freeman, Jackson Kerschen, Will Kerschen, Tory Freeman Seiler, Alex Kerschen, Erica Freeman, Aaron Kerschen, Jak Kerschen, and Mick Kerschen, and 21 great-grandchildren.

Family visitation at Livingston Funeral Home from 4-6 pm on Friday, June 25 followed by Rosary at St. Patrick's at 7 pm.  Funeral services at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 26.  The family invites all to luncheon at the parish hall following the burial at Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman. Memorial suggestions to St. Patrick's School, Wheatlands Health Care Center or River Cross Hospice.