Donna Bernard

Donna M. Bernard, age 88, of Melrose, formerly of Blaine, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at the Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose.

A service celebrating Donna's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24 at Tri-City Christian Center in Freeport with Rev. Robert P. Bernard, III, Rev. Donna Flavo, and Rev. Lindsay Hellermann officiating. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Melrose.

Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Tri-City Christian Center in Freeport. Donna Mae Masters was born February 23, 1924 in Braddock, PA to Clyde Sr. and Edith (Fritz) Masters. Donna's early life was difficult. Her mother, Edith, died when she was thirteen and she had to quit school after the seventh grade to raise her siblings. On June 27, 1942 she married Rev. Robert P. Bernard, Sr. in North Braddock, PA. The couple was longtime residents of Blaine, Minnesota until moving to Melrose in 2004. Donna enjoyed crocheting, word scrambles, puzzles, and reading. She was a gifted baker starting a Christmas-time tradition of baking poppy seed and nut rolls, a special technique that she passed down to her daughter and daughter-in-law. Along with spending time with her family, Donna loved and doted on her grandchildren.

She was a member of Tri-City Christian Center in Freeport where her son, Bob Jr., pastored until 2011.

Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Bernard of Blaine; son, Rev. Robert P. (Cathy Jo) Bernard, Jr. of Eagle Bend; two grandchildren, Rev. Donna (Rev. Joshua) Falvo of Washington, PA and Rev. Robert P. (Rev. Rachelle) Bernard, III of Rochester; five great-grandchildren, Dominic, Dylan, and Derek Falvo, and Robert P. "Pauley", IV and Payton Bernard; and brother, Clyde (Marge) Masters of Ligionier, PA.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Robert P. Bernard, Sr. on July 25, 2008; her parents, Clyde Sr. and Edith Masters; brother, Jack Masters; sister, Norma Schissler; brother-in-law, Ralph Schissler; and sister-in-law, Lois Bernard Henriksen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Robert Payne, Rick Hellermann, Steve Danzl, Gary Ertz, Steve Peterson, and Shawn Asbaugh.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred.