Longtime Dickson County Educator Gwynn Blalock Kerns Dies at 85

Photo: Gwynn Blalock Kerns, obituary from Taylor Funeral Home

Dickson, TN — Dickson County lost a quiet pillar of its education community with the passing of Gwynn Blalock Kerns, who died Feb. 7, 2026, at the age of 85.

Mrs. Kerns devoted more than three decades of her life to serving students, finishing her career as a guidance counselor at Dickson County High School, where she became a trusted advocate, mentor, and steady presence for generations of young people. To many former students and colleagues, she was not simply a counselor, but someone who listened, encouraged, and believed in them during pivotal moments of their lives.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Walnut Street Church of Christ, with Chip Haslam and Steve Baggett officiating. Visitation will take place Monday, Feb. 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home, and again Tuesday beginning at noon at the church. Burial will be private at Dickson Union Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Senior Living Ministries or the Walnut Street Church of Christ.

Born Jan. 8, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan, Mrs. Kerns was the daughter of Paul and Robbie (White) Blalock. She was raised in Murray, Kentucky, where she grew up on a dairy farm.

She graduated from Murray Training School and continued her education at David Lipscomb before earning a master’s degree from Austin Peay State University. Her commitment to learning did not stop there; she later completed a second master’s degree from Vanderbilt University, reflecting a lifelong belief in education as both a calling and a responsibility.

That belief guided her professional life. During her years in Dickson County Schools, Mrs. Kerns was known for her professionalism, compassion, and genuine concern for students’ futures. She took great pride in helping young people navigate academic decisions, personal challenges, and the uncertainties of adolescence, often leaving a lasting impression long after graduation.

A longtime and faithful member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ, Mrs. Kerns will be remembered for her deep faith, sharp wit, intelligence, compassion, and unwavering love for others. Her legacy endures in the many lives she shaped — in classrooms, counseling offices, and quiet conversations that mattered more than she likely ever knew.