Bernard L. Dear Sr.

Bernard Lawrence Dear Sr., 78, of Dinwiddie passed away Monday, March 9, 2009, at his residence. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a retired equipment operator. Mr. Dear was preceded in death by his father, Ralph John Dear, and his mother, Katherine Dear Carter.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred L. Dear; children, Gloria Staples and husband, Alan, Bruce Dear and wife, Toni, and Bernard Dear Jr. and wife, Debi, all of Dinwiddie, Bonnie Roane and husband, David, of Chesterfield, and Barbara Blankenship of Lunenburg; grandchildren, Bruce Jr., Melissa, Andrew, Dawn, B.J., Robert, Joshua, Rebekah, and Dakota; great-grandchildren, Victoria and Ashton; step-mother, June Dear; brothers and sisters, Paul, Cecil, Royal, Nancy, Cheryl, Jimmy, John, and Glenn.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Jon Dundalow officiating. Mr. Dear will be laid to rest privately at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Western Heights Baptist Church, 24416 Cox Road, Petersburg, VA 23803. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com.