Nadine J. Kern, 74, of Lincoln passed away on March 2. She was the born in Newman Grove to Elmer W. and Betsy (Thompson) Nelson on December 21, 1945. Older              brother Harley and younger brother Tommy made up the rest of the Nelson family, who lived on a farm in the rural St. Edward area. Nadine loved living on the farm and had many loving memories of her childhood there. Nadine graduated from Newman Grove Public School in 1963 and later attended UNL for one year as a music major.

Nadine met James (Jim) Kern at an event in Roca and later married him in Lincoln on May 24, 1975. They lived on Washington Street and Nadine worked in a child daycare before their son Kevin was born in 1979. The Kerns moved to rural Lincoln and Nadine was a stay at home mother to Kevin and son Corey when he made his arrival in 1981. In 1984, the Kerns moved to their current residence on 4531 Knox Street in Lincoln, where they welcomed daughter Katie in 1987. In 1994, when the kids were all in school full-time, Nadine began working in food service at Hawthorne Elementary for Lincoln Public Schools. When Hawthorne closed, Nadine transferred to Huntington Elementary and worked as the “Lunch Lady” there until she retired in 2011. She loved all children and they loved her cheerful smile and happy disposition. Nadine also loved animals. Some of her favorite things were humming, singing, playing the piano, writing songs, working in her flower gardens, cooking and baking pies, doing cross word and other puzzles in the newspaper, playing cards, and in her later years, attending musical and Broadway performances at the Lied Center.

She is survived by her husband James Kern, sons Kevin Carl Kern and Corey Lee Kern, daughter Katie Lynne Kern all of Lincoln. Best friend Vicki Walter-Winters of Lincoln. Brother Thomas Lee Nelson of Columbus and many beloved nieces and nephews. Nadine was preceded in death by per parents and brother Harley Nelson.

Service will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2020 at Wyuka Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 6^th from 9 a.m. until service time at Wyuka Funeral Home. Internment will be at Wyuka Cemetery. Memorials to the family for later designation. Online condolences can be left at www.wyuka.com