h/o Virginia Gail (Smith) m. May 30, 1958

f/o Paul Calvin and Leaia Marie

gf/o Dustin Nathaniel

ggf/o Karly Grace, Nataly Faith, and Aaron Nathaniel

b/o John LeNoir, Ada Marion (LeNoir) Pinkley,

Henry Lowell, Joyce, Barbara Rose (Estep) Sutton

Bernis was a good man, alittle rough around the edges in that he could not tolerate nonsense. Anyone that knew him well would say that he was born about 100 years too late. Born, reared, lived most of his life in the hills, hollers, and forests around the middle fork of the Black River in Reynolds Co, he knew how to make do and be satisfied with whatever he had. He called it "Black River Ingenuity." Not that he was ever poor but, just the opposite. His heart was rich because he was always ready to help someone in need, no matter who they were or what they needed never asking for anything in return. As a child he helped his father with the farm chores and attended the one-room schoolhouse between Black and Edgehill where he learned the 3 R's. Another year or two in high school must have been enough schooling since he went to work in St Louis at the age of 15. After working a few jobs he was drafted into the US Army about the time when the Korean War was ending and spent most of his service in Germany. When someone would ask him if he went to Korea, he would reply, "No they heard I was coming so they gave up." After his military service he married and worked for the Hanna Mining Co. He and his wife bought his parents farm in Black where he lived out the rest of his life. Bernis raised cattle for several years. He loved to hunt wild hogs, coons, plant a vegetable garden, and cook fish. But his real love was riding and caring for horses. About 1985 he suffered a major heart attack and was told he probably wouldn't live very long. After a couple of years of taking it easy, he decided that if he had to sit on the couch he might as well go up and lie down in the cemetery. So, he continued to live a full life and be as active as he could by raising cattle, riding horses, cutting wood, and running coyote dogs. Guess you could say he proved the doctors wrong by living another 12 years and enjoying life as best he could. If you could ask him what he would have done differently in life, I am sure he would answer that he wouldn't have changed a thing. We all miss you, Bernis.