Bernard R. Gervais

THOMASTON, ME - Bernard R. Gervais, age 91, of Yorktown, VA, died on July 12th, at Sussman Hospice House. Mr. Gervais most recently moved to Thomaston, ME, to live with his daughter, Jani Flanagan and her family. Mr. Gervais is pre-deceased by his wife, Betty; his daughter, Debbie Whitehead of Easton, MD; his parents, Joseph and Eva Gervais of Southbridge, MA; and his brother, Rev. Donald Gervais of Worcester, MA. He is survived by his daughter, Jani Flanagan and her husband Mike of Thomaston, ME; his daughter, Heidi Gervais and her wife Yolande Riendeau of Providence, RI; and his son-in- law, Brett Whitehead of Easton, MD. He also leaves his grandchildren: Ashley Whitehead, Kelly Flanagan, Holly Flanagan, and Tyler Whitehead (partner Rachel Sallerson). Bernie attended Mary Wells High School in Southbridge, MA, and upon graduation enlisted to serve in WWII. He served with the US Navy Cub18 attached to the 5th regiment 1st Marine division. His training began in 1944 at the Sampson Naval Training Station in Geneva, NY. From there, Bernie was sent to the Electronics Training Program at Texas A&M followed by training at the Amphibian Training Center at Camp Pendleton, CA. After training, Bernie was sent to Pavuvu in the South Pacific where he would become part of the US invasion of the island of Pelelieu. Honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946, Bernie put in a short stint in his hometown of Southbridge, MA, at the American Optical Company's production center. Taking advantage of the G.I. Bill, he participated in the ROTC program at Oklahoma A&M (Oklahoma State University) in Stillwater, OK. Commissioned in the US Army in 1950, he graduated in 1951, and began his Army career in Aberdeen, MD. In 1953, Bernie was called to the Korean War and returned in 1954. From 1955-59, he was stationed at White Sands Missile Range, NM. From 1959-60, he was stationed at Ft. Churchill Rocket Research Facility in northern Manitoba. From 1961-63, Bernie was a professor of military science at the University of Maine in Orono. The call to move continued to Munster by Dieberg, Germany, where he served as the commander of special weapons unit to provide maintenance of nuclear weapons from 1963-65. His next assignment was Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he served as the 52nd Brigade Adjutant until 1966. Bernie and his family returned to the US in 1966, to Letterkenny Army Depot outside Chambersburg, PA, where he was in charge of the (weapons) maintenance division. In 1969, after 20 years of active service, Bernie retired and moved his family to Newport News, VA, where he started his second career as a civil servant at the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) at Ft. Monroe, Hampton, VA. Bernie continued this career at Ft. Eustis in Newport News, VA, from which he fully retired in 1993. Not a big hobbyist, Bernie, did enjoy collecting stamps, listening to classical and big band music, watching westerns, and reading. He greatly enjoyed the company of his family and friends and regaling them with stories of his childhood and most interesting life. As he told one of his daughter's upon her goodbye, 'It's been a great ride.' A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at 10 am at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Rockland, ME. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a future time alongside his wife of 60 years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the OSU Foundation and designated to the Major Bernard and Margaret Gervais Endowed Fund for Veteran Support. Checks should be made payable to the OSU Foundation and mailed to PO Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076-1749. Memorial donations can also be made online at www.OSUgiving.com. Hall's of Thomaston, ME, has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, light a candle for Bernard, or to share a story or picture, visit his Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com