Dr. Bernard Meyer

ST. MARYS - Bernard G. "Bernie" Meyer, Ph.D., 61, who helped educate two generations of students entering the field of criminal justice, passed away Thursday (May 8, 2014) at his home in Bradford after a brief illness.
Dr. Meyer was a tenured associate professor of Criminal Justice and former director of the Criminal Justice Program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. During his 19 years at UPB, he developed and taught courses on all aspects of law enforcement, advised students and supervised internships, among other duties. He also provided graduate-level instruction for Penn State's Department of Workforce Education Development, served as an instructor at Penn State, DuBois, conducted staff training at the Federal Correctional Institution in Loretto, Pa., and trained local police officers in DUI countermeasures, juvenile justice and probation and parole issues.
He presented papers on policing, training and other criminal justice topics throughout the Northeast, conducted workshops and served as a consultant in many educational and community settings. He published articles in The Journal of Correctional Training and The Law Enforcement Journal, among others.
Prior to his tenure at UPB, Dr. Meyer was Chief Probation/Parole Officer for the Court of Common Pleas, Elk and Cameron Counties. He was past secretary/treasurer of the Pennsylvania Association of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, past secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of Chief Adult Probation Officers, and past chair of the Legislative Committee of the Pennsylvania Association of Probation, Parole and Corrections. He was a member of Bucktail Lodge #96 of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Dr. Meyer was born in St. Marys on July 19, 1952. He attended Queen of the World grade school and graduated in 1970 from Elk County Christian High School. He earned his B.S. in Law Enforcement and Corrections from Penn State in 1974, his M.A. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1977, and his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice Workforce Education and Development from Penn State in 1995.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing, hiking and rafting. He was a life member of the NRA.
Dr. Meyer was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Ruth Simbeck Meyer.
He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Irene (Robert) Rettger of Pittsburgh; a niece and nephew, Elizabeth and Christopher Rettger; three aunts, Mrs. Henrietta Roussey and Mrs. Marie Rezmerski, both of Johnsonburg, and Mrs. Donna Simbeck of St. Marys; an uncle, Leo F. Simbeck of St. Marys; 18 cousins in the Straub, Rezmerski and Simbeck families; and many dear friends.
There will be no visitation.
Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral service at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home, 169 Center St., St. Marys, with the Rev. Robert Klow of Bradford officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Elk County Catholic School System, 600 Maurus Street, St. Marys, PA 15857.
Online condolences may be offered at www.lynch-radkowski.com