Jess Bernard, Jr.

Jess Ernest Bernard, Jr., of Imperial, 86, died Sept. 23, 2020 in North Platte.
He was born in Haxtun, Colorado, to Nettie (Starling) and Jess Bernard, Sr., on Aug. 7, 1934. The family then moved to the farm south of Imperial where he lived and worked the rest of his life.
Jess graduated from Chase County High School in 1952. He was one of the early FFA State Farmers of Nebraska from Imperial. He played football for four years, persisting on the team even though the football field was covered in stickers.
On Aug. 10, 1952, he married Joyce Dart. After their marriage, they resided at the farm. They had one child, Janet.
Jess served as a Chase County Commissioner for 16 years and served on the Rural Fire Board for more than 25 years. He and Joyce were honored as the Chase County Conservation Honor Family in 1982. Jess was an early adopter of irrigation and took pride in keeping current with new farming and conservation methods.
He loved to spend time with his grandkids, giving tractor rides, teaching them to mow and drive and enjoying sledding and skating in the winter.
He enjoyed helping kids with their homework, fixing bikes and airing up the bike tires for the entire neighborhood.
He and Joyce loved decorating for Halloween and Christmas each year and definitely looked forward to lots of trick-or-treaters.
Jess built remote control model airplanes and eventually modified the plans to improve the function of the planes. He spent many, many Sundays at Vilas Smith’s place flying the planes.
He loved sailing on Enders Lake in their Sunfish sailboard. He specialized in cooking breakfast for friends and family at Oltman’s Grove.
As young farmers, he and Don Grosbach spent a lot of time discussing new farming methods and planning next year’s crops.
He and Joyce enjoyed many evenings playing cards well into the night with Bernard and Sandy Nelson. They also got to go on lots of vacations with their dear friends, Lucille and Burdette Bauerle and Richard and Jeanie Johnson, traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, Glacier National Park, Niagara Falls, Mackinac Island and Branson. He and Richard also attended many Husker football games.
As he slowed down at the farm, he valued the friendship, help and advice of Terry Bilka and Dan Reeves.
He was exceptionally kind and generous to friends and strangers alike.
Jess was preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Nettie Bernard; his in-laws, Bus and Alta Dart; and brothers-in-law, Jerry Dart and Keith Dart.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce; daughter, Janet Evans, and her husband, Rob, and honorary son and daughter, Jayden and Ashli Maris; his grandchildren: David (Sarah) Bernard-Stevens, Matt (Shayda) Bernard-Stevens and their daughter, Armina, and Kobe, Braxtyn, Gavyn and Anna Maris.
Memorials are designated to the Imperial FFA.