Colleen Hurley Kernstine

Colleen Hurley Kernstine, 87, of Fayetteville, NC died on February 14, 2021.

Colleen was born in Randolph County, NC on October 12, 1933 to the late William Wade Hurley and Irma Jewel Hurley. She was raised in Randleman, NC, the only girl of nine children, and graduated from Greensboro High School. Colleen earned a Master’s Degree in Education Counseling from Methodist College while working as an administrative assistant to the Director of the Army Education Center at Fort Bragg.  

She married the late Wiley Howard Kernstine and enjoyed being a mother to her two children. For 47 years, she made a career, assisting soldiers with their educational needs, at the Army Education Center at Fort Bragg, NC. From the entry level position of administrative assistant, she moved up the ranks to the position of Director at one of the main post branches. Her best friend of nearly 70 years, Francine Sevits declared “Colleen had a wonderful sense of humor and was a superb conversationalist”. She loved her home and enjoyed decorating it and landscaping and grooming her immaculate yard.

Colleen is preceded in death by five brothers, David Hurley, Virgil Hurley, Deaton Hurley, Raymer Hurley, and Sanford Hurley.

She is survived by her daughter Katina Kernstine Trivette, of Wilmington, NC formerly from Sugar Grove, NC; her son, Kemp Howard Kernstine, Sr. of Dallas, TX; her brothers, Byron Hurley, of Julian, NC, Vernon Hurley, and Cecil Hurley, both of Greensboro, NC; six grandchildren, Meghan Gallagher Drake, Jennifer Trivette Pacheco, Kemp Howard Kernstine, Jr., Kendal Alyson Kernstine, Kelsey Jean Kernstine, Keene Everett Kernstine; six great-grandchildren, Hunter Thomas Drake, Gavin Walker Drake, Matthew Joseph Pacheco, Mairin Madeline Drake, William Grayson Pacheco, and Kai Kernstine; and a host of extended family members and friends.

A graveside service will be held 12:00 Noon Friday, May 20, 2022 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Colleen Hurley Kernstine, please visit our floral store.