Mark Bernhard

Mark Alexander Bernhard died on Sunday, June 24, at the University of Michigan Hospital. He was born on June 8, 1932, in New York City, to Rosa and Dr. Robert Bernhard. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, he attended Bethany College in West Virginia, where he majored in history and biology and lettered in track. He served in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Puerto Rico. In 1955 he married Sara Lea Kolodin, and they had two children, Peter and Roberta. In 1980 he married Pauline Reisner, and they had a daughter, Elizabeth. He joined the pharmaceutical division of Merck in 1965 and worked there until his retirement in 1993. Mark is survived by his wife, Pauline, his three children, and his six grandchildren. Mark also leaves behind his schnauzer, Charlie, and an impressive array of loving friends. Mark had a wonderful sense of adventure and took up many enthusiasms before and after his retirement. He enjoyed photography, golf, travel, reading, sailing, skiing, gardening, cooking and good food, music and theater, and writing stories for his grandchildren. He never stopped learning, taking Spanish and French classes at Washtenaw Community College well into his seventies, and he volunteered for many organizations. Mark’s life was deeply informed by the hours he spent during his childhood immersed in the warmth and humor of his mother’s extended family, which included seven sisters and one brother. He loved telling stories about his summers at Camp Peekahoe, frequently singing the camp song for riveted friends. Mark leaves behind so manyp memories for his friends and family to cherish. He dearly loved life, his children and grandchildren, his dog, and most of all, his beloved Pauline. Visitation will be at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, in Ann Arbor, on Tuesday, June 26, from 4:00pm to until time of service at 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to American Cancer Society or American Civil Liberties Union.