Arthur Burton Kern, M.D.

Arthur Burton Kern, M.D., 96, of Pawtucket, RI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 with his beloved cat Zoe at his side. For almost sixty years, he was the husband of the late Sybil (Blistein) Kern. They loved each other beyond reason from the moment they met.Born on December 20, 1921 in Brooklyn, NY, he was the son of the late Michael and Ida (Derow) Kern. A graduate of Harvard College and Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Kern practiced Dermatology in Providence and was Emeritus Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine. He honorably served in the U.S. Navy during both World War II and the Korean War. He moved to Pawtucket in 1949.Dr. Kern was passionate about art. He and his wife Sybil have been credited by fellow collectors with essentially creating the field of American folk art as we know it. For more than four decades they collected the works of, and researched the identities of, early American itinerant portrait painters, who previously had been either unknown or misattributed. The two of them authored over 30 articles on this topic in national publications. Dr. Kern was also an exhibiting sculptor for many years. In the field of public affairs, Dr. Kern was actively interested in local and national politics, supporting a national single payer plan for health care, election reform, and conservation. He loved skiing, tennis and bird watching; and dragged his entire family to Block Island every fall for memorable viewings of the fall bird migration. Dr. Kern is survived by his children: Ronni Kern and her husband, Alan Swyer, of Santa Monica, CA; David Grant Kern and his wife, Robin Kowal Kern, of Camden, ME; and Jonathan Kern and his wife, Laurie Cassidy Kern, of Carmichael, CA. He was the proud grandfather of Jonas Never Swyer and his wife Stephanie; Eli Kawakyu-Kern and his wife Nami; Zoe Kern; Cody Swyer and his wife Eveline Tseng; David Matthew Kern and his wife Janelle; Sasha Kern; and Tyler Kern. He was the adoring great-grandfather of Ruya Kawakyu-Kern, Sana Kawakyu-Kern, and Ari Kern. He was the brother of the late Grace (Kern) Sachs, and leaves behind his loving and compassionate caregivers, Sabrina Fuller and Jasmine Monteiro. All services will be privately held.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dr. Kern to either Doctors Without Borders, www.doctorswithoutborders.org , or The National Audubon Society, www.audubon.org.For additional information or to send the family a written expression of sympathy, please visit an online guest book at www.dyer-lakefuneralhome.com.Arrangements are under the direction of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro. (508) 695-0200