Thursday, March 28, 2024

Obituary of Thomas Joseph Bernard, 64

Name of Deceased Thomas Joseph Bernard
Age 64
Date of Death 07/28/2009
Date of Birth 07/23/1945
Funeral Home Koch Funeral Home

Thomas Joseph Bernard died Tuesday, July 28, 2009 in State College, after returning from a week's vacation at a North Carolina beach where he and his loving family celebrated his 64th birthday and his life.

Tom was born on July 23, 1945 in Springfield, Illinois. He was the son of Edward Lawrence Bernard and Frances Joan McEvoy Bernard, who predeceased him, and was the second of five children. He attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School and Griffin High School, and received his B.A. in Mathematics at the University of Notre Dame in 1968. In 1975 Tom received his M.S. in Administration of Justice at Southern Illinois University and in 1981 he received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at The State University of New York at Albany.

Thirty-four years ago on June 15, 1975 he married the love of his life and his stalwart advocate, Wendy J. Moran. Tom was a Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at The Pennsylvania State University. He authored many scholarly books and articles including Vold's Theoretical Criminology; Consensus Conflict Debate: Form and Content in Social Theories; and Cycle of Juvenile Justice. He also was proud to serve as editor or co-author on books such as Behind a Convict's Eyes: Doing Time in a Modern Prison; Life for a Life: Life Imprisonment, America's Other Death Penalty; Prison, Inc.: A Convict Exposes Life Inside a Private Prison; and others.

With his lifelong commitment to service, Tom was active at University Baptist and Brethren Church and volunteered at Camp Blue Diamond up until May of this year. He also volunteered at the Obama Presidential campaign and on work-service projects in Honduras. He was an avid fan of Penn State's Essence of Joy choir, and an ongoing member of both Essence 2 choir and UBBC choir. Tom was thrilled to travel in a music ministry to South Africa in 2005 with Essence of Joy, and in 2008 to participate in a cultural exchange in South Africa with Voices of Joy.

Tom is survived by his spouse, Wendy J. Moran and two sons: Evan Francis Bernard Moran and his spouse Laura M. Savino of Redmond, WA; and Brian Edward Moran-Bernard of Harleysville, Pa. He is also survived by his brother and two sisters: George E. Bernard of South Bend, IN; Catherine A. Bernard and spouse William Sandberg of Takoma Park, Md.; and Mary Bernard Magrinat and spouse Gustav C. Magrinat of Greensboro, N.C. He was predeceased by his brother, Edward L Bernard, Jr. In addition he is survived by his beloved nieces, nephews, and family friend: Thomas E. Magrinat and spouse Amy and their children Walker and Aubrey; Claire, Julia, and Alexander Sandberg-Bernard; and Linda Harris Holsapple.

Tom was initially diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease in 1969, and was told that he had little chance of living out the year. He overcame this to live a full and wonderful life with appreciation for each new day. In May, when he learned the lung cancer caused by his Hodgkin's treatment of years ago would take his life, he named his cancer-care website "Luckiest Man Alive". He explained his outlook in a 1997 article called "A Sunny Day in Carbondale" where he wrote of his previous confrontation with death: "I had a ferocious appetite for life. I wanted happiness, love, fulfillment, joy, contentment, pleasure, accomplishment, and satisfaction. But I also wanted sorrow and pain, loneliness, and grief, frustration and anger and failure, bitterness and regret and even despaire. I wanted it all. And that's what I got."

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 31, at the Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College. His funeral service will be at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, at the University Baptist and Brethren Church, 411 S. Burrowes St., State College, with the Rev. Bonnie Kline Smeltzer officiating. Burial will be in Graysville Cemetery

Condolences may be expressed at www.caringbridge.org under the website LuckiestManAlive. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camp Blue Diamond, PO Box 240, Petersburg, PA 16669, or to Essence 2 for the benefit of Mogoshi School, South Africa, P.O. Box 374, State College, PA 16804.