Eugene Bernier

Eugene (Gene) J. Bernier, 71 of Abercrombie, ND passed away Monday, November 16, 2009 at MeritCare Palliative Care, Fargo, ND. Visitation will be Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at St. Benedict Catholic Church, St. Benedict, ND. The funeral service will be on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 2:00 p.m., also at St. Benedict Church, with one hour visitation prior to the service. Gene was born the fifth of eleven children on May 27, 1938 to Robert and Marcella (Byrnes) Bernier. He grew up in the village of St. Benedict where he attended school and graduated in 1956. He then served in the Air Force for four years where part of that time he was stationed in Alaska. He then returned to St. Benedict and worked as an electronics technician in the Fargo area. On February 10, 1962 he married Carmen Armistead in St. Benedict and together they had two children. In 1966 he started his own company, Bernier’s TV & Electronics, in West Fargo until 1977 when he purchased the Fort Saloon in Abercrombie, ND, which he operated until his retirement in 2000. Gene’s favorite pastimes included hunting, fishing, playing guitar, singing and spending time with his family and friends. In 1962, he formed a country music band, The Rustlers, and performed with the band until 1989. His easygoing personality and sense of humor will be greatly missed. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Deb Bernier, and their two sons, Jordan and Kendal and his daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Mike Meeks and their son, Dylan, and daughter, Ava as well as his special friend of many years, Millie Brooks. He is also survived by three brothers, Clarence (Diane), Devils Lake, MN, Ken (Patty), Horace, ND, Steve (Ruth), Phoenix, AZ and two sisters, Margaret (Julien) Pronovost, Horace, ND and Ione Parsons, Mauldin, SC. He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, Lorraine Trottier, Ilene Zahn, Yvonne Olson, Dolores Fisher and one brother, Jerry Bernier. Please feel free to go to www.boulgerfuneralhome.com to share memories of Gene and sign the online guest book.