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Obituary: John Gregory Bernard, M.D. – Football – April 22, 2019

John Gregory Bernard M.D. Obituary 
Obituary, John Gregory Bernard, MD

Lafayette – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 26, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Saint Mary Mother of the Church for John Gregory Bernard, MD, age 77, who died at Lafayette General Medical Center Monday, April 22. Interment will be in Holy Mary Mother of God Cemetery. Celebrant of the Mass will be his brother-in-law, Bishop Emeritus, Michael Jarrell. Concelebrants will be Rev. Harold Trahan and Monsignor James Gaddy. Gift bearers will be his nieces Kelly Lalonde and Jessie Devillier. Lectors will be his granddaughters Ellie Broussard and Madeleine and Sophie Clayton.

John was born in New Iberia on March 29, 1942. He attended Hamilton Training School and Cathedral High School, where he was all-state in high school football. He subsequently attended the University of Southwest Louisiana (ULL) on a football scholarship. He obtained a degree in accounting from USL and worked in his family’s business, Kathryn’s Fabric Shoppe in Lafayette. John and his wife Jessica moved to New Orleans with their young family to begin his studies in medicine and, after graduating from LSU Medical School in 1974, he completed a 3 year internship at Earl K. Long Medical Center in Baton Rouge. He began his career in private practice as a family physician and later founded Acadiana Family Physicians with Patrick Sonnier, MD. Dr. Bernard was an active member of the Lafayette Parish Medical Society, Louisiana State Medical Society, American Academy of Family Physicians, Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians and was also a fellow of the American Board of Family Practice. In addition to his dedication to medicine, Dr. Bernard found time for active leadership in the Boy Scouts of America as a Scoutmaster and later as an Adult Leaders Trainer. He looked forward to yearly camping trips with other Boy Scout Trainers and was an active member of the Serra Vocations Club of Lafayette, an organization fostering vocations to the religious life.

Dr. Bernard was a man of strong faith, serving as an altar boy when young and later becoming active with St. Mary Mother of the Church, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. Above all, he was a faithful servant and an honorable man.

He was skilled in woodworking, specializing in antique restoration. He delighted in making weekly breakfast deliveries to grandchildren and grandnieces, who looked forward to "Cinnamon Roll Sundays." D-I-Y projects with grandchildren, nieces and nephews were especially rewarding. They would often say, "Bring it to Papa. He can fix anything." He enjoyed reading and taking his children and grandchildren on annual family vacations which were the basis of many happy memories. 

He also frequently traveled to South Bend, Indiana to attend Notre Dame football games, but would settle for watching the Irish on television when the family wasn’t traveling – when it was understood that he was not to be disturbed. 

Dr. Bernard is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Jessica Jarrell Bernard: his three daughters, J. Anne Clayton and husband Jon of Houston; Candy Broussard and husband Gordy of Lafayette; and Jenny Roy and husband Grady of Houston; his two sons, Gregory Bernard of Lafayette and Marc Bernard of Miami; nine grandchildren, Madeline and Sophie Clayton; Jessica, Corinne, Jude and Mason Bernard and Ethan, Ellie and EJ Broussard. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Allen Joseph Bernard, Jr. 

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 25th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Martin and Castille Funeral Home Downtown. A Rosary will be recited on Thursday ay 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue at St. Mary Mother of the Church on Friday, April 26th from 9:00 a.m. until time of services.

Pallbearers will be Marc Bernard, Jon Clayton, Gordy, Ethan, and EJ Broussard, Grady Roy, William Jarrell III and David Bernard. Honorary pallbearers will be Doctors Jeff S. Brown, Wayne B. Cestia, Ben N. Doga, Richard A. Hines, Jr., N. Paul Landreneau, Chad B. Manuel, and Troy M. Martin. 

The family would like to thank Doctor Michael Cain, all of the doctors and staff at Acadiana Family Physicians and the 8th floor nurses and staff at Lafayette General Hospital, especially Shelly Spaulding. 

Memorial Contributions may be made in the name of Dr. John G. Bernard to: Diocese of Lafayette Seminarian Fund at 1408 Carmel Drive, Lafayette, LA 70501, or Boy Scouts of America Evangeline Area Council at 2266 South College Road, Lafayette, LA 70508.

View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com

Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311

Published in the The Advertiser from Apr. 24 to Apr. 26, 2019

Athletic Network Footnote by Dr. Ed Dugas.
The Athletic Network extends condolences to Dr. Bernard’s family. His older brother A. J. was a four-year letterman on the S.L.I. football team.