Barbara Jean Wurst Bernard

Barbara Jean Wurst Bernard, age 84, departed this life on April 22, 2009 at St. Mary's Asbury Ridge, where she resided since June, 2008. She was born in Erie on May 11, 1924, daughter of the late Ralph H. Wurst and Emma A. Wurst.

She graduated from Academy High School in 1942 and attended Erie Commercial College. She worked at Erie Resistor Corp. and then at the University of Iowa Hospital while her husband attended law school. Following the death of her husband, Attorney Barney Bernard, in 1974, she was employed at Erie Insurance Group until she retired in 1989. She enjoyed traveling, playing bridge, knitting and aqua exercising. She taught Sunday school at Salem E.U.B. Church and became a member of First United Methodist Church in 1968 where she was a member of the United Methodist Women.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Ralph H. Wurst and William W. Wurst, and a sister, Betty A. Waytenick. Survivors include two sons, Attorney Bruce W. Bernard and his wife Catherine, of Fairview, and Jack Bernard and his wife Joanne, of Erie; one brother, Roger P. Wurst and his wife Betty of State College, Pennsylvania; a brother-in-law, Leonard V. Waytenick of Millcreek; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Zhao and her husband Mingda, of Houston, Texas, Brandon W. Bernard and Brittany L. Bernard, both of Fairview; also several nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to call on Friday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home, 5000 Wattsburg Road. Services will be held Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 707 Sassafras Street, Erie, followed by burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church of Erie or The Erie City Mission.

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