Richard J. Berner
born January 1, 1940, in Elgin, Illinois
died May 2, 2009, in Bloomington, Illinois

Obituary:

RICHARD J. BERNER

Richard J. Berner, 69, Heyworth, died at 7:32 p.m. Tuesday (May 2, 2009) at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

His funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington, with Monsignor Gerald Ward officiating. Burial will be in Green Family Cemetery, Ottawa.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington, and visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Heyworth Public Library.

He was born Jan. 1, 1940, at Elgin, son of Joseph and Pia Fuchs Berner. He married Sally “Sara” Clifford on July 23, 1966, at Ottawa. She survives.

 Also surviving are children, Tracy Berner, Bloomington, and Laurel (Christopher) Sims, Plainfield; two grandchildren, Madeline and Evelyn Sims; brother, Jim (Edith) Berner, Woodstock; and three sisters, Patricia Stilling, Richmond; Mary Jean Goulet, Wonder Lake; and Joanne (Ralph) Larsen, Woodstock.

His parents preceded him in death.

Richard retired from State Farm in systems management in 2000.

He was of the Catholic faith. He was a graduate of Illinois State University with his bachelor’s degree in English.

Richard enjoyed gardening and spending time with his grandchildren. He will be dearly missed by all his family.¹

1. The [Bloomington, Illinois] Pantagraph, May 14, 2009