Justin Michael Bernthal

Justin Bernthal passed away in June, 2024 at 50 years of age from sudden cardiac arrest. He is survived by his father, Frederick Bernthal, his mother Judy (nee Holzhauer) Bernthal, and his stepmother, Heather Lancaster. Throughout his life, Justin demonstrated a quiet strength and generosity of spirit. His determination and kind nature were an inspiration to many.
Justin was born in 1974 in East Lansing, Michigan. His father was a professor at Michigan State University and his mother worked at MSU in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Justin later lived with his mother in Grand Junction and Fort Collins, CO, where he began grade-school before moving to the Tacoma, WA area. Following graduation from Curtis Senior High School he enrolled at University of Puget Sound (UPS) and graduated in 1996 with a BA degree in history. During the summer of 1995, he was awarded an internship at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
After graduation from UPS, Justin volunteered for Americorp*National Civilian Community Corps, serving for one year in the Americorps San Diego, CA office where he worked with communities in Oakland and near San Diego, and later with the Navajo Nation in Ganado, AZ. He then volunteered for a second year with Americorp in Washington State, where he worked at Tacoma Community House. In 1998 Justin took a position with Columbia Bank in Tacoma, where he worked for 22 years, first running the check sorting machines and then in the postal office until 2020, when he left on disability leave.
Justin was an avid Seattle Seahawks fan, and frequently attended their games. He was a proud alumnus of Curtis Senior High and of UPS, often attending their sporting events and always their reunions. For many years he was frequently seen enjoying the swimming pool on the UPS campus. One of his most memorable trips to visit his father and step-mother was in January, 2009 when he and his step-mother stood on the National Mall in bitter cold to attend the first inauguration of President Obama. He also liked to travel to Nebraska every year for Christmas or during his summer vacation to visit grandparents and extended family. Justin was a faithful member of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Tacoma and enjoyed participating in many of its social events. A memorial service to honor Justin's memory will be held at 12 noon on Sunday, July 28, at Trinity church.
Donations in Justin's memory may be made to:
University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner St. #1011, Tacoma, WA 98416-1011 https://www.pugetsound.edu/support-puget-sound
(253) 879-2923
Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1615 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98405
(253) 272-8819.
Edwards Memorial Funeral Homes - University Place