John Thomas Kearns

John Kearns, an emeritus University at Buffalo philosophy professor of 52 years, former department chair for 12 years, died at ECMC. He was 87. A native of Champaign, Ill., he was a proud alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1958. In '62, after finishing a PhD in philosophy at Yale University, as a member of ROTC, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and stationed at Verdun, Fourth Log Command, in France, where he met, and in '63, married his wife of 60 years, Jane Grothaus Kearns. Together they had four children, Michelle, Megan, Kevin and Jesse. They moved to Buffalo in '64 when UB hired him. They restored a Victorian in the Elmwood Village, where they raised their children, various cats, dogs and guinea pigs, and where they hosted 13 foreign students. He fell just before the planned 2023 family Christmas trip to San Diego. He died a week later. Burial will take place at 10am on Friday June 21st at Forest Lawn Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 12:00pm at Blessed Sacrament Church, where he was an active parishioner for more than four decades. The family invites all to attend a reception at the Saturn Club, 977 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY following the memorial services. Services Cemetery Forest Lawn Cemetery 1411 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209