Obituary for Frank Bernhardt
Frank Ralph Bernhardt, longtime resident of Lemoore, Ca; born December 11, 1933 in Flasher, North Dakota, passed away at his home Thursday, January 21, 2021 at the age of 87. Frank was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and friend.
Son to Frank Bernhardt Sr and Matilda Hoff Bernhardt of North Dakota, he was one of nine children. Frank is preceded in death by his wife Martha A Bernhardt, brother Edward Bernhardt, and parents. Frank is survived by daughters Karen Bernhardt Coker of Armona, Ca; Kim Bernhardt Roberts of St. Charles, Missouri; son Brad Bernhardt and Lisa of Lemoore, Ca; six grandchildren (Jeffrey Labandeira, Timothy Labandeira, Brooke Bernhardt Parras, Erin Bernhardt Wascher, Adam Roberts, McKenna Roberts); 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and siblings (Marcia Bernhardt Miller, Jerry Bernhardt, Patricia Bernhardt Vandal, Doris Bernhardt Fleck, Doreen Bernhardt Parrish, Donald Bernhardt, Josephine Bernhardt Meidinger) all of whom love and will miss him dearly.
Frank and Martha married in Bismarck, North Dakota on February 17, 1958; they had many places of residence before they and their children moved to and settled in Lemoore, Ca in February 1965 due to Frank being stationed to Lemoore Naval Air Station.
After graduating from high school Frank was a teacher in Fort Rice, North Dakota before joining the US Navy at the age of 21 where he retired after 20 years of service at the Military rank of Chief. Shortly after his 20-year military career he went to work for Lockheed Aircraft. He spent approximately one year with them before being asked to work out of the country. Due to his 20 years of active duty, moving often, he no longer wanted to live away from home and to finally be close to his immediate family. Frank then went to work as an Electrical Foreman with the Public Works Department at Lemoore NAS where he retired there after 20 years on December 29, 1995 the same time as Martie.
After Frank’s second retirement they traveled with their 5th wheel called “the RIG” and his Dodge Ram known as “Brutes” to places like Quartzsite, Arizona and Oceano, Ca where they connected with many lifelong friends.
Frank and Martie thoroughly enjoyed their many trips to their second home at Sand & Surf (now named Coastal Dunes) in Oceano, Ca where they eventually set up full time there. Frank was a Lifetime Elks Lodge member in Oceano where he was very active with the large BBQ’s the Elks would have and all the other activities involved with the Elks. When at the coast, Frank could always be found at the Elks at 4 pm happy hour with his many friends rolling dice to determine who was going to pay for the round of beverages. When talking with Frank, he never lost; when talking with his friends, he always paid.
Frank was very passionate about his volunteer work at the Lemoore Sports Complex, so much so they named one of the fields after him “Bernhardt Field” in recognition of his 8000 plus volunteer hours (posted on the complex billboard) in which he was so proud of. Frank was heartbroken when the sports complex was taken over by the City of Lemoore and he could no longer mow or help maintain the fields he loved so much taking care of. The family is sure he would still be mowing those fields and be up in the boom lift changing out light bulbs at the age of 87. Another thing Frank was passionate about was decorating his house around the Christmas holidays, Thanksgiving night they officially went on. It wasn’t until this year at the age of 86 that he didn’t decorate the roof at the request of his family.
Frank also belonged to the Veterans Organization and donated to numerous organizations over a long period of time.
Frank was notorious for helping friends, neighbors and at times total strangers if they needed help. He was known as the neighborhood fix it man and there was nothing that Frank could not fix. At times Martie would be talking to people and if she found out they needed help with something, she would send Frank over in a flash to help because she knew that was who he was. One time while on one of his many walks at the coast and through Sand n Surf he saw a woman outside her motorhome trying to fix something, he went over and told her she wasn’t doing it right and that he would go get his tools and come back and help. She said, “You must be Frank, I’ve heard about you”.
The family would like to thank Adventist Health Home Care and Hospice Services of Hanford, Ca and Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel of Lemoore, Ca for all their help and support.
Services will be held outdoor at St Peters Catholic Church in Lemoore, Ca Friday, January 29, 2021 at 2 pm followed by a Graveside service at Lemoore Cemetery in Lemoore, Ca. For those unable to attend Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel will be LIVE streaming it from their website https://www.phippsdale.com/
Remembrances (or in lieu of flowers, donations) may be made to Sansum Clinic Corporate Office, 470 South Patterson Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 9311, P.O. Box 1200, Santa Barbara, CA 93102-1200 or by going to their website www.sansumclinic.org/Donate Frank held great respect for Dr. Greg Newman in the oncology department who was Martie’s doctor for over seven years.
Son to Frank Bernhardt Sr and Matilda Hoff Bernhardt of North Dakota, he was one of nine children. Frank is preceded in death by his wife Martha A Bernhardt, brother Edward Bernhardt, and parents. Frank is survived by daughters Karen Bernhardt Coker of Armona, Ca; Kim Bernhardt Roberts of St. Charles, Missouri; son Brad Bernhardt and Lisa of Lemoore, Ca; six grandchildren (Jeffrey Labandeira, Timothy Labandeira, Brooke Bernhardt Parras, Erin Bernhardt Wascher, Adam Roberts, McKenna Roberts); 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and siblings (Marcia Bernhardt Miller, Jerry Bernhardt, Patricia Bernhardt Vandal, Doris Bernhardt Fleck, Doreen Bernhardt Parrish, Donald Bernhardt, Josephine Bernhardt Meidinger) all of whom love and will miss him dearly.
Frank and Martha married in Bismarck, North Dakota on February 17, 1958; they had many places of residence before they and their children moved to and settled in Lemoore, Ca in February 1965 due to Frank being stationed to Lemoore Naval Air Station.
After graduating from high school Frank was a teacher in Fort Rice, North Dakota before joining the US Navy at the age of 21 where he retired after 20 years of service at the Military rank of Chief. Shortly after his 20-year military career he went to work for Lockheed Aircraft. He spent approximately one year with them before being asked to work out of the country. Due to his 20 years of active duty, moving often, he no longer wanted to live away from home and to finally be close to his immediate family. Frank then went to work as an Electrical Foreman with the Public Works Department at Lemoore NAS where he retired there after 20 years on December 29, 1995 the same time as Martie.
After Frank’s second retirement they traveled with their 5th wheel called “the RIG” and his Dodge Ram known as “Brutes” to places like Quartzsite, Arizona and Oceano, Ca where they connected with many lifelong friends.
Frank and Martie thoroughly enjoyed their many trips to their second home at Sand & Surf (now named Coastal Dunes) in Oceano, Ca where they eventually set up full time there. Frank was a Lifetime Elks Lodge member in Oceano where he was very active with the large BBQ’s the Elks would have and all the other activities involved with the Elks. When at the coast, Frank could always be found at the Elks at 4 pm happy hour with his many friends rolling dice to determine who was going to pay for the round of beverages. When talking with Frank, he never lost; when talking with his friends, he always paid.
Frank was very passionate about his volunteer work at the Lemoore Sports Complex, so much so they named one of the fields after him “Bernhardt Field” in recognition of his 8000 plus volunteer hours (posted on the complex billboard) in which he was so proud of. Frank was heartbroken when the sports complex was taken over by the City of Lemoore and he could no longer mow or help maintain the fields he loved so much taking care of. The family is sure he would still be mowing those fields and be up in the boom lift changing out light bulbs at the age of 87. Another thing Frank was passionate about was decorating his house around the Christmas holidays, Thanksgiving night they officially went on. It wasn’t until this year at the age of 86 that he didn’t decorate the roof at the request of his family.
Frank also belonged to the Veterans Organization and donated to numerous organizations over a long period of time.
Frank was notorious for helping friends, neighbors and at times total strangers if they needed help. He was known as the neighborhood fix it man and there was nothing that Frank could not fix. At times Martie would be talking to people and if she found out they needed help with something, she would send Frank over in a flash to help because she knew that was who he was. One time while on one of his many walks at the coast and through Sand n Surf he saw a woman outside her motorhome trying to fix something, he went over and told her she wasn’t doing it right and that he would go get his tools and come back and help. She said, “You must be Frank, I’ve heard about you”.
The family would like to thank Adventist Health Home Care and Hospice Services of Hanford, Ca and Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel of Lemoore, Ca for all their help and support.
Services will be held outdoor at St Peters Catholic Church in Lemoore, Ca Friday, January 29, 2021 at 2 pm followed by a Graveside service at Lemoore Cemetery in Lemoore, Ca. For those unable to attend Phipps-Dale Funeral Chapel will be LIVE streaming it from their website https://www.phippsdale.com/
Remembrances (or in lieu of flowers, donations) may be made to Sansum Clinic Corporate Office, 470 South Patterson Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 9311, P.O. Box 1200, Santa Barbara, CA 93102-1200 or by going to their website www.sansumclinic.org/Donate Frank held great respect for Dr. Greg Newman in the oncology department who was Martie’s doctor for over seven years.