Monday, the community remembered former judge and lawmaker Jerry Kearns.
He passed away Saturday at the age of 83.
Kearns served as a judge in Vigo County, as well as a prosecutor and a public defender. He also represented the 43rd District in state legislature. That is where he fought for public education, working men and women, children and the elderly.
This is what community members had to say:
Phillip Adler, former prosecutor, former Superior Court Judge
Well, I’ve known Jerry for more than 45 years. He was a practicing attorney here in Terre Haute for over 50 years. He and I served in his brother’s administration in the 1970s as deputy prosecutors. Of course Jerry become a judge, as did I. We campaigned together many times throughout the years back in 1986 when I first ran for prosecutor. Jerry and I campaigned when he was running for state representative and it was a smart thing for me to do because Jerry was so popular, of course. He was a terrific lawyer. He was a very good judge. He championed those who were less fortunate. He was a champion of labor, the working men and women of the community. He was well known for his very astute decisions and his ability to analyze complicated cases. He was well liked by virtually everyone I ever ran into, including those who worked in the courthouse. He always showed respect to everyone who came before him. He was genuinely a good guy and he’ll be dearly missed by everyone in the bar association, as well as the community as a whole and anyone whose lives Jerry touched, and that would have been many, many.”
Vicki Weger, Vigo County councilwoman
Jerry Kearns and I have been friends for nearly 50 years. Jerry is one of my oldest friends. We fought in the political battle field some of the toughest battles. We fought for civil rights and women’s rights, for labor rights. Jerry was a tremendous warrior. He never stopped fighting those battles that he believed in. He stood up for, particularly, people who could not stand up for themselves. For children and the elderly. He represented the Wabash Valley in the legislature and on the bench as a judge, he always listened and judged fairly. He’ll be missed terribly in this community and he’ll be remembered as one of the greatest warriors that we’ve ever known.”
Clyde Kersey, former State Representative for Indiana’s 43rd District
Jerry Kearns was an attorney, a legislator and a judge from Vigo County. He was a great public servant. Served in the legislature for I think for about 12 years. He served two different times. He was in there for I think maybe four years, and then decided to help his brother run for prosecutor and dropped out for a few years, then came back in 1986 and ran for the legislature. I was running for the County Council at the time, so we became real good friends and ran together. In the legislature, you develop a reputation on the issues, on your vote and the bills you carry, and so on. Jerry’s reputation was very strong. He supported public education and teachers. He supported working men and women. He supported senior citizens. Jerry was a kind and compassionate person and always was trying to do things to help those people who needed help. I think that’s his reputation and I think that’s a pretty good reputation to have as a legislator. Jerry loved to quote Harry Truman and so when he’d make speeches he would always have a quote that he would use about Harry Truman in his speech. He was just unique that way and was a great speaker, and could continue to speak on issues for a long, long time. Carried a lot of important bills when he was in the legislature. Pat Bauer who was a good friend of his when Jerry served. Pat later became speaker, but was not speaker when Jerry was there. Pat and I shared an office in Indianapolis before I left the legislature and Pat liked to tell stories about Jerry when he was there. One that I heard from Pat and from several others involved a debate he got into with Representative Bodiker from Richmond and evidently, Representative Bodiker had gone to the podium and in his speech he talked about a place near Richmond that was the highest level of elevation in Indiana, and Jerry took issue with that. So, Jerry went up to the microphone and said, ‘No, that’s not right. Representative Bodiker’s not right. The highest level of elevation in Indiana is down on Merom Bluff, south of Terre Haute and so that debate went on for some time and it was kind of legendary that they were talking about the elevation in Indiana rather than laws. But Jerry was a great public servant. His family of course was involved in public service. His brother Mike who was a good friend of mind was a prosecutor and later was a federal bankruptcy judge for Indiana. When I think about Jerry, I think of the person who was kind of a political giant in Vigo County and a person that people looked up too, and he’s really going to missed. I think about Jerry as the dean of the Indiana legislature in that when I was elected, I knew nothing about the legislature. I’d call on Jerry and Jerry would fill me in on what was happening and how to approach things, and so on. He was willing to share his knowledge with newly elected legislators and I’m sure that Tonya Pfaff has talked to him since she was elected about what was going on in the legislature. He was just a really great person. Like I said before, he was a compassionate person who had a great feeling for his elected office, whichever one it was, and he’s really going to be missed.”
Joe Etling, Vigo County Democratic Central Committee chair
Jerry Kearns was an old school politician. Served this county admirably, both in the statehouse and during his tenure as a judge. He was the only judge to serve an eight year term which is unheard of but Jerry accomplished that. He was a champion for the underdog. He believed in old school politicking, door to door, getting to know the voters and the constituents. It was always important for him to relate to people. He’ll be definitely missed by all of us, particularly the Democrats in this county.”
Kal Ellis, Attorney with Ellis Law
Jerry Kearns was a wonderful judge and fellow colleague after he left the bench. He was revered by everyone who knew him. He was a champion for the under-served, the less fortunate. He was always fighting for the lives of people who did not have the same affluence as others and well respected. He’ll be sadly missed by everybody. He was a gentle soul, and we all will miss him terribly.”
