Mellie Jean Bernard

Mellie Jean Bernard, Sr., 92, of Morganton, NC died Tuesday, March 12, 2013. Born in Burke County, NC on April 29, 1920, he was the son of the late Mellie Carmello Bernard and Rose Giles Bernard. Mellie was a U.S. Air Corps veteran of WWII and member of First Baptist Church. He was a 67 year member of Lovelady Masonic Lodge #670 and a member of the Masonic Shriners Temple. He was also the founder of Bernard Cadillac, Pontiac, and GMC Dealership and was co-founder of the Pavillion Roller Skating Rink. Mellie reestablished Bernards Waldensian Wines, sponsored Ned Jarrett’s first car in Darlington, and was a baseball pitcher for the Armed Services World Series in Rome.Mr. Bernard is survived by his children, Jean Bernard of Efland, NC, Danny Bernard and his wife, Susan, of Nebo, NC, Terri Garrou and her husband, Kyle, of Lenoir, NC, and Tim Bernard and his wife, Suzy, of Valdese, NC; grandchildren, Nealy Marie Bernard, Danny Alan Bernard, Jr., Samantha Totten, Corey Totten, Cathryn Totten, Amber Nicole Bernard, Penny Lane Bernard, Brittain Lynn DeBerry, Timothy Giles Bernard, Jr., Alex Jared Oliver, Elliott Jennings Garrou, Jacob Kyle Garrou; five great-grandchildren; and a number of nephews and nieces.In addition to his parents, Mellie was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille Katherine Templeton Bernard, and a brother, Bobby Bernard.

The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 16, 2013 at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. officiating. Entombment will follow in Burke Memorial Park Mausoleum with Masonic rites provided by the Lovelady Masonic Lodge and military honors provided by the N.C. National Guard. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. prior to the service.Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.