Kernon M Gibes

Kernon M. Gibes, age 57, of Augusta, Michigan, died Friday, April 24th, 2015, two days after suffering a severe brain hemorrhage. Kernon had been employed since 2007 as a Senior Statistician for Product and Consumer Understanding at the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Kernon was born on February 13th, 1958, in Joliet, Illinois to Joseph S. and Mary L. (Rowan) Gibes. Raised in Lockport, Illinois, he attended Saint Dennis School (Lockport) and Lockport Township High School, and graduated in 1976. He attended Bradley University, where he majored in mathematics (with a computer concentration) and economics, graduated Summa Cum Laude, and received a place in the Academic Hall of Fame. He then received a Master's Degree in Statistics from the University of Iowa in 1982. Over the course of his career he was able to apply his knowledge of statistics and programming to help develop and improve pharmaceuticals (G.D. Searle & Co., Skokie, Ill.), personal care products (Unilever, Rolling Meadows, Ill.) and food products (The Nutrasweet Company, Mount Prospect, Ill., and the Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, Mich.).

Kernon was named after a sixth century Irish saint, Kernan (Gaellic "Kieran"), who was revered for his generosity. Although he adopted a different spelling of his name as a fourth grader, Kernon tried to live up to the reputation of his namesake. He developed and supported many computer programs and web-based applications for people and organizations, usually free of charge.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his infant sister, Angela, and his brother Lawrence Gibes. Survivors include his wife, Valerie Hyndman, and children, Nathan Gibes, 19, and Nora Gibes, 18, of Augusta; two brothers, Joseph Gibes and his wife, Susan, of Sunnyvale, California and Terrance "Terry" Gibes and his wife, Terri, of Lockport, Illinois and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive visitors between 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Monday, April 27th, 2015 at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home, Richland Chapel, 9170 East D Avenue (M-89), Richland, Michigan. Cremation has taken place. A private burial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to The Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute at rifinst.org.

www.farleyestesdowdle.com.