Bernardo "Bernie" Lee Piniol

Bernardo (Bernie) Piniol, 62, passed away at his home on Saturday, January 31, 2015. He is preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Piniol, and father, Marciano Piniol. He is survived by his wife and son, Mary (Brady) Piniol and Marc Piniol, and his four loving dogs, Jewel, Sasshi, Tucker and Taz. He is missed by his step mother, Fe Piniol, his brothers and sisters, James Dickerson, Richard Dickerson, Allen Piniol, and Pierre Piniol (Meilani Castro, Penelope Fey and Mila Monica), Pat Keltner (Missy Jackson, Joe Fieber), Lois Piniol (Matthew Piniol), Marcia Piniol and Chuck Guthmann, several nephews and nieces, his many coworkers and friends.

Born in Merced, he graduated from Merced High School in 1970 and enlisted in the navy, serving as a corpsman on the USS Richard B Anderson which was commissioned to perform missions within the Sea of Japan. One mission involved the evacuation of Viet Nam at the end of the war. He had an opportunity to meet his many family members in the Philippines when he and his father visited them while he was stationed in the area.

While visiting friends in Pensacola, Florida, he decided to move there and was accepted in the nursing program, completing his Associate’s Degree in nursing and successfully passing his state boards. He met his future wife while attending nursing school. After his mother passed away, he decided to return to the Merced area. He started work at Mercy Hospital in June 1980 on the surgical floor and throughout his 34 years there, worked in many areas including Utilization Review, Quality Assurance, Peer Review, Special Procedures, Pre-operative Department and Pre-admission’s nurse.

He married in 1981 and his son was born 1982. He completed his BSN in 1999, at a time when distance learning meant traveling over 100 miles one way to class. Bernie became involved in the AIDS/Life Cycle events by donating his nursing skills on the medical team. AIDS/Life Cycle is a fully supported, 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He retired from Mercy Medical Center on January 24, 2015.

His death was sudden and a shock to those who loved him. He is remembered as a kind and gentle man who cared for his patients with compassion and tried to be helpful to strangers.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, February 21, at the Stratford Evans Reception Hall. A military Honor Guard will be held at 10:30 and verbal remembrances of Bernie will follow by family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to AIDS/Life Cycle @www.aidslifecycle.org/