Roger Bernard

Roger Bernard of Amherst, beloved husband, father, and friend, died peacefully on October 31, 2017 after a brief illness. He was 85. Roger was born in Cohoes, New York in 1932. After graduating from Catholic Central High School in Troy, NY, Roger served in the United States Navy and the Marine Corps as a medical corpsman, earning an honorable discharge in 1955. He later earned bachelors and masters degrees in psychology from Fordham University. For most of his professional life, Roger worked as a university administrator. He began his educational career at Fordham, working first as an admissions officer and later as the Dean of Admissions and the Dean of Freshman. He then was one of the founding administrators of LaGuardia College of the City University of New York, serving as the Dean of Students. In 1973, he was appointed as the chief executive officer of the Manchester branch campus of the University of New Hampshire, guiding it through its transformation to status as an independent campus, Merrimack Valley College. After concluding his career as an educator, Roger worked for several years for Timberpeg, a New Hampshire-based company that designs and builds timber-frame homes. At Timberpeg, he led the training and professional development of the company’s sales staff. Roger was married for forty-eight years to Madeleine Bernard, who passed away in 2009. When Madeleine suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for more than a decade at the end of her life, Roger cared for her tirelessly, around the clock. Roger and Madeleine had one child, their son, Paul. Roger’s service to others extended beyond his love for his family and his contributions as an educator. In Amherst and beyond, Roger’s neighbors and friends benefitted from his assistance and support. In particular, Roger was always ready to counsel young people as they made decisions about their educations and started their careers. Roger touched many lives, all of which were better for his love and support. Roger is survived by his son, Paul, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and his grandsons, James and Matthew, who both attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Memorial visiting hours will be held on December 1st from 6:00-8:00pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, New Hampshire. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Granite United Way.