Howard Parks Bernhardt

SALISBURY - Howard Parks Bernhardt, 93, of Salisbury, died Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, at his home surrounded by his family.

He was born Sept. 14, 1918, in Rowan County, a son of the late Ira Leo and Maggie Parks Bernhardt. Mr. Bernhardt was a graduate of Granite Quarry High School and served in the U.S. Army. During his service to our country, he was a Communications Chief in Central Europe and was honorably discharged in December 1944.

After his military service, he returned to Rowan County and was a Brick Mason working for Cannon Mills. He became a Brick Superintendent in the Construction Department and retired from Cannon Mills in 1985.

An avid hunter and fisherman, Mr. Bernhardt enjoyed watching sports, especially Rowan American Legion Team and Atlanta Braves. He also enjoyed yearly family beach vacations where he spent many early mornings surf fishing.

The greatest joy of his life was spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Also, Mr. Bernhardt was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He was a former active member of Christiana Lutheran Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Ruth Lingle Bernhardt, on Jan. 24, 2007; his daughter, Debbie Bernhardt Fisher, on June 5, 2001; an infant son; three brothers; and one sister.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Belinda Bernhardt Cozart (Johnny) of Mooresville; his son, Perry Bernhardt (Lori) of Salisbury; son-in-law Carson Fisher (Alice) of Hickory; one brother Roy Peeler Bernhardt of Salisbury; seven grandchildren Ashley Cozart Fisher (Jason), Brad Cozart (Heather), Mandy Cozart Holden, Jennifer Bernhardt Aldridge (Lee), Melissa Bernhardt, Casey Fisher (Ciji) and Lauren Fisher; and six great-grandchildren Jenna Fisher, Patrick Holden, Elleson Cozart, Sarah Lynne Fisher, Madison Holden and Elin Cozart.

Also, the family would like to thank Sandy, Paula and Cheryl for their support and care for Mr. Bernhardt over the last several weeks.

Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5 at Powles Funeral Home, Rockwell; 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church; and the remainder of the time, at the home of a son, Perry Bernhardt of Salisbury.

Service: 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church conducted by Rev. William Ketchie, pastor. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Military Honors by the Rowan County Veterans Honor Guard and the N.C. National Guard Honor Team.

Memorials: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 205 St. Paul's Church Road, Salisbury, NC 28146; Alzheimer's Association, 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215; or Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.

Powles Funeral Home of Rockwell is assisting the Bernhardt family. Online condolences may be made to the Bernhardt family at www.powlesfuneralhome.com

Published in Salisbury Post on August 4, 2012

Howard Parks Bernhardt (1918 - 2012)

Howard Parks Bernhardt, son of Ira Leo and Maggie Parks Bernhardt, grandson of John Crawford Bernhardt died this morning at his home. Services will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church at 2 pm on Monday, August 6. Visitation will be held from 6 - 8 pm at Powlas Funeral Home and from 1 - 2 pm at St. Paul's prior to the funeral service.

The 52^nd John Crawford Bernhardt Family Reunion

Will be held on the weekend of August 4 - 5

We hope that you and your entire family will be able to attend.

Here’s the itinerary with family assignments included.

If you have questions please contact me.

Karen

As years pass and our numbers grow, we move farther from our roots, losing contact with many family members. The reunion, that our great grandparents initiated over 50 years ago, was an attempt to strengthen family ties. We honor those intentions by working to maintain those family bonds and attending the family reunion.

Please let Glenna Sears know of births, marriages and deaths so that they may be recorded.  glennasears@bellsouth.net

Saturday Afternoon Event

(Ira Leo, Laura & Cora Lee)The weekend will start off with a trip to Gold Hill, NC where members of our family were active in the operation of one of NC’s most successful mining operations.

Our tour will include the Gold Hill Jail, Assay Office, Barnhardt and Miller Shafts (go underground only to the entrance), The Chilean Ore Mill and also see the English Dry Stacked Rock Wall constructed around 1845 that is still stands intact and creates two walls of the jail. The Jail contains additional exhibits and photos. Plus the Log Barn (donated by Paul Bernhardt from his property), Randolph Shaft site and a walk along the Old Mining Road to the Powder House and Gold Hill Pond. (Allow approx. 1 - 1/2 hours). There is a video for those who wish to remain at Mauney Store. There will be a fee for the tour of less than $8 (I’m waiting for the group rate.) For more information check out the website at http://www.historicgoldhill.com/id22.htm

We will end with dinner at the Stamp Mill Café in Gold Hill. They serve American cuisine, everything from hot dogs, and sandwiches to Prime Rib. Entrees are $10 - $25 with children’s meal $5. See their menu at http://www.stampmillcafe.com/ordereze/Content/PageDetails.aspx?PageID=1 .

Sunday Luncheon

(Molly and Joseph Clarence)The covered dish lunch will be held at 12:30 in the fellowship hall of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. We would love to have you attend services with us which begin at 10:30.

Sunday Afternoon Event

(George Michael & Jacob Alphonso) After the lunch, plans are to visit Dunn’s Mountain. You can hike (walk off some of that food from lunch) or ride a bus to the top of the mountain with fantastic views of downtown Salisbury, Pilot Mountain, the Winston Salem skyline, and the Charlotte skyline (on a clear day.) Picnic tables at the top will afford a great place for ice cream and drinks as we enjoy the view. The park is free of charge. Dunn’s Mountain was the site of many Salisbury events in the past, the whole town would load up in wagons and drive to the top of the mountain for picnics.  http://www.rowancountync.gov/GOVERNMENT/Departments/ParksRecreation/DunnsMountainPark/tabid/365/Default.aspx 

It sounds like a fun packed weekend with activities for all ages.

We hope to see you there.

I have decided to send only emails this year so please pass this information on to every member of your family.

Please return this email with an indication of which activities

you plan to attend so that tentative reservations can be made.

Gold Hill Tour –

            Dinner -

Covered Dish –

Dunn’s Mountain -

Bill C. Bernhardt (1943-2011)
(Bill was the son of William Crawford and Bertice Drake Bernhardt, grandson of Ira Leo Bernhardt.)


Bill C. Bernhardt, 68, passed away September 24, 2011 at his residence here in Panama City with his family by his side.

Bill was born in Salisbury, North Carolina to the late William C. Bernhardt and Bertice I. Drake in February of 1943.

He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force for 26 years, receiving many ribbons and awards for his duties, also being a Vietnam veteran, a model aircraft builder of scale models and an avid giver of blood to the American Red Cross. He moved to the Panama City area in 1988 after retiring from the United States Air Force.

Survivors include his wife of 16 years Cathy Bragg Bernhardt of Panama City, Florida; two sons Michael C. Bernhardt and his wife Mary of Panama City, Florida, Daryl R. Bernhardt and his wife Diane of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two daughters Renee Cumbie and her husband Andy, Michelle Broadway and her husband Randy of Panama City, Florida; one brother Gary Bernhardt and his wife Carol, a sister Brenda Lowder and her husband Johnny of North Carolina; eight grand children and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mr. Bernhardt will be held at Southerland Family Funeral Home on Tuesday September 27 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Virgil Tillman officiating. Interment will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Monday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Honorary Pallbearers for MSgt (ret) Bernhardt will be Robbie Roberson, Fred Padgett, Richard Bentley, Bill Blake, Dean Holliday, and Jay Goss.

In lieu of flowers the Bernhardt family request that donations be made to Covenant Hospice or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Bill's memory.

Barbeque

We're Bernhardt's so of course we have to eat,

and talk,

and laugh!

2011 Bernhardt Reunion

We had a wonderful time at the reunion this year beginning on Saturday afternoon with a trip to The North Carolina Transportation Museum.

There was something for young and not so old a like!

Pvt. Joseph C. Bearden Completes Basic, Advanced Training

Pvt. Joseph C. Bearden of Kannapolis graduated from U.S. Army Basic Combat Training and Infantry Advanced Individual Training July 8 at Ft. Benning, Ga., where he was in the 3rd Platoon Bravo Company, 2-19 Infantry Division. He was qualified as a sharp shooter.

Bearden will be stationed in Fort Louis, Wash., in the 2nd Infantry Division until February 2012, when he will deploy to Afghanistan.

He is the son of Charles T. Bearden Jr. and Julie Fink Bearden; the grandson of Brenda Bernhardt Lowder, Charles T. Bearden Sr., and Milford and Theresa Fink; and the great-grandson of Joann and Percy Johnson. He has one sister, Shea Nicole Bearden

Joseph is the great-grandson of Crawford Bernhardt, great-great grandson of Leo Bernhardt.
We are proud of you Joe.