John C. Kersey

JOHN CECIL KERSEY, 78

Polk Co. School Board

LAKELAND - John Cecil Kersey, 78 of Lakeland, died Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center due to heart failure.

He was born October 7, 1929 in Cordele, GA to Sidney P. and Flossie Mae (Johnson) Kersey and moved to Lakeland in 1947 from Arcadia. John is a Korean War Air Force veteran and a member of the 1st United Methodist Church, Lakeland and served as its Building Committee Chairman and Youth Division Superintendent. He graduated from Florida Southern College and the University of Mississippi and was an educator for most of his working career having touched thousands of lives with his positions within the Polk County School System. His teaching career began at Southwest Elementary School in 1956 and continued at Southwest Junior High School as a science teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principle and finally as its principal from 1967 to 1984. John ended his career as Assistant Superintendent of Maintenance & Facilities from 1984 to 1993. He came out of retirement to serve briefly as Interim Superintendent of the Polk County Public Schools in 1995. He was a member of numerous professional educator associations and was also involved civically as a board member with the YMCA, Girls Club of Lakeland, Jaycees, Program to Aid Drug Abusers. He was also a member and past president of Citrus Center Kiwanis Club and the Polk County Scholarship and Loan Fund. John also was active as Community Liaison for the Florida Baptist Children's Home and was a board member and building committee member for both the Citrus Regional Blood Center/Blood Net and the SPCA.

John is survived by his wife, Claudia; sons, Charles Marion Kersey of Lakeland and Bill and his wife, Nicole Kersey of Lakeside, CA; sisters, Georgia Sowells and Marie Cagnina both of Tampa and a grandson, Thomas James McAllister of Lakeside, CA.

Friends will be received from 1-2pm on Monday at the 1st United Methodist Church where funeral services will be held that day at 2pm. Interment will take place in Oak Hill Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Florida Baptist Children's Home or to SPCA.

Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes, Dukes-Steen Chapel, Lakeland is in charge of arrangements.

Comments

[BethMiller]

I will never forget the positive influence of Mr. Kersey when he was my principal at Southwest Junior High School from 1965-1968...my ninth grade year, I was editor-in-chief of "The Smoke Signal" school newspaper and president of the Future Homemakers of America. At a school-wide assembly at the end of that year, Mr. Kersey named me "Miss Responsibility" and presented me with a gold lapel pin. His positive affirmation encouraged me to continue to seek leadership roles throughout my life. What a wonderful legacy of positive encouragement he has left in the lives of all the young people he influenced for good throughout his life.

[Peggy Lewis]

Mr. Kersey was a special person in the life of my family as well as countless others. To my husband, Richard, he was friend, boss, and mentor. To our girls, Kim and Kelly, he was an encourager and friend, and to me, he was there when I needed him most, when Richard went on to glory in 1993. We learned so much from Mr. Kersey about the importance of working with youth and about what it meant to be a good friend. Our loss is surely heaven's gain. Thank you, Mr. Kersey; your reward will be great!

[Laura Moore]

Mr. Kersey was a great man as well as a great educator. He made every student's time at Southwest Jr. High special and kept up with us in the years thereafter.

It was nice to see a posting from Mrs. Lewis, whose husband Richard was our prized history teacher at Southwest -- I remember when at least one of your daughters was born! He went on to even greater accomplishments and he is likewise missed greatly.

Claudia, know that you and the boys are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for finding him and being a part of his life for the last 30 years. I know that you were a big part of the happiness that he always radiated. We go back even further to when you were our PE teacher at Cleveland Court.

On behalf of my father, Britt Moore, your retired dermatologist, and my sister Mary, we all send our deepest condolences and prayers of support.

Laura Moore
Atlanta, GA