Bernd A Foerster

Commander Bernd “Berny” Alwin Foerster was born in Northeim, Germany, to Alois and Juliana Foerster and was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, after his family immigrated in 1957 when he was just five years old. As the firstborn son, he worked hard to support his family in this new country, learning English at school and coming home to teach his parents. Berny was a diligent student and in addition to his academic achievements, he played in the school band and loved sports, winning many accolades in track and field, swimming, baseball, football, and soccer. As a senior at Mehlville High School in 1971, he was even awarded Most Outstanding Senior Athlete as a result of his hard work. Berny was also involved with Civil Air Patrol and attended a Christmas party where other CAP members were present when he was 16. It was there that he would meet 15-year-old Susan “Sue” Yorty, never thinking Sue would be his future wife. Their love grew and remained strong as he set off for the U.S. Naval Academy, writing in a letter to her, “I can’t promise you the universe, but the world is at our fingertips if we just stick together through these four years.” On June 7th, just two days after his graduation from the Academy in 1975, they married, and thus, the adventure began.

As an ensign, Berny entered flight training in July 1975 and was designated a Naval Aviator in December 1976. Every pilot is given a call sign or nickname they will use throughout their entire military career. Having been born in Germany and given his zest for flying, his call sign became “BARON” after the Red Baron. His first tour of duty was in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1977, flying the S-3A with the “Gamblers” of VS-28 which included two Mediterranean deployments on the USS INDEPENDENCE and the USS AMERICA, respectively. After joining the “Eagles” of VT-7 Meridian, Mississippi, in October 1980, he became an Instructor Pilot and assumed the duties of NATOPS Officer, achieving over 1,000 hours in the TA-4J. In 1981, his son, Matthew Alexander, was born on Christmas Day, and the Baron gained a new call sign—Father. In June of 1983, Berny reported to the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY as the Bow Catapult Officer, making another Mediterranean cruise which launched the air strike into Lebanon. He reported to VS-41 “Shamrocks” in San Diego, California, in October 1985 as a Flight Instructor, and then to the VS-32 “Maulers” in Jacksonville, Florida, in January 1987. As a “Mauler,” Berny served as an Assistant Operations and Maintenance Officer, reaching over 2,500 total hours in the S-3 Viking. Shortly after the move to Jacksonville, his daughter, Sheri Lynn, was born, and their family was complete. Following a course in Aviation Safety at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, he reported again to VT-7 as the Safety Officer in September 1989. In 1990, Berny was assigned to the USS FORRESTAL in Mayport, Florida, as Air Operations Officer. USS FORRESTAL deployed May 1991 in support of “Operation Provide Comfort,” supporting security for the Kurdish in the aftermath of Desert Storm. The family’s next move was to Puerto Rico in May 1993, where Berny served as Executive Officer to Fleet Composite Squadron Eight, VC-8 “Redtails,” before assuming command on his birthday in August of that year. Under Commander Foerster’s leadership, the squadron won the SECNAV Energy Conservation Award, Bronze Hammer, Golden Anchor, Admiral's Trophy, and three consecutive Battle “E”s. Living in Puerto Rico afforded the family the opportunity to take vacations on their boat, island hopping through the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, eventually departing Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in January 1996. Berny then reported aboard Naval Air Maintenance Training Group Detachment back in Jacksonville as the Officer in Charge in April 1996. He retired from the Navy on New Year’s Day, 1998. Berny’s military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with two (2) Gold Stars, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal with gold star, numerous unit awards, and the National Defense Service Medal. He also accumulated a milestone of over 5,000 flight hours in the S-3 and A4 jets and the SH3 helicopter.

Following his retirement from the military and knowing that he wanted to keep flying, Berny signed on with United Airlines as First Officer that same year. Based out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, he flew domestically coast-to-coast, as well as to Canada and Mexico. In 1999, Berny flew internationally to Europe and South America via Miami International Airport. He returned to domestic routes based out of Chicago O’Hare again in 2001 following the 9/11 tragedy that changed the world of commercial air travel. During his time with United, he flew a number of aircrafts, including the 727, 737, 757, 767, 777, A319, and A320. Berny’s last trip took him to San Francisco, where Sue, Sheri, and Matt met him to celebrate the end of his 19 ½ year career and the enormous achievement of over 14,000 flight hours with United Airlines. He retired as a Captain on August 31st, 2017, his birthday.

While he was still flying with the airlines, Berny began a major project which would span several years as he built his very own airplane. In 2010, he began building his replica “Red Baron” Sonex experimental aircraft in his garage. The build took 3 ½ years with two friends, Ron Skelton (USN Retired) and Larry Nye, (USN Retired) to complete, leading up to his first flight in July of 2013. Berny took his last ever solo flight in March of 2026. In addition to flying his airplane, Berny was not one to sit still and had numerous interests and hobbies. He loved to fish, ride family and friends around on his boat, tend to his bees, and make wooden toys to donate to kids as a member of Jax Woodworkers Club. Berny also enjoyed playing games and spent time over his life with game consoles like Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System, XBox, and his computer. There were many game nights with his kids and grandkids, whether it was a night full of video games, Dungeons & Dragons, or board games—he was always eager to play. Berny dedicated time to the betterment of his church community; he was a 4th Degree Member of Knights of Columbus Council 17029 at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and remained an active member of this church for as long as he was able. There, he participated in Trunk or Treat events, building and fixing wooden features for the church sanctuary with his dad, serving on the finance council, helping out with the food pantry, putting on the church Oktoberfest, creating a memorial brick program, and assisting with many other church events and fundraisers over the years.

Berny also enjoyed traveling the world with the military, the airlines, and with his family. He accumulated passport stamps from 23 countries and visited 47 U.S. states and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Berny loved to see the world and enjoyed vacations in places like Hawaii, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Spain, France, Monaco, Scotland, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Brazil. He was able to take his children to see the world—walking on the Great Wall of China, camping at Yellowstone, seeing the Pope in Rome, fishing in Alaska, and spending time with extended family in Austria and Germany. Sue was his favorite travel partner and, as he promised, the world was truly at their fingertips. From experiencing the Moscow architecture in Russia to seeing the coos in Scotland, visiting the ancient sites in Greece where the first Olympics were held, riding camels on the sand to see Petra in the sandstone cliffs of Jordan, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, traveling to the Netherlands to see the windmills along the canals in Amsterdam, Berny saw the world with wonder and was proud to be able to share that wonder with his beloved family.

Berny was diagnosed with stage 2-3 Pancreatic cancer in March of 2024 and by February of 2026, it had progressed to stage 4. In true Berny fashion, he fought and far exceeded the life expectancy of someone with this disease, living for 27 months post diagnosis. He took flight one last time on Sunday, June 28th, 2026, as he departed from this life being tenderly held by his wife and children.

Berny was preceded in death by his Mother, Julianna Foerster (nee Kirsch); Father, Alois Foerster; brother, Gary Foerster; parents-in-law, June (nee Gruenewald) and Paul Yorty; and several extended family members. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 51 years, Susan L. Foerster (nee Yorty); son, Matthew (Jennie) Foerster; and daughter, Sheri (Thomas) Wurth; four grandchildren Alice, Mara, Hugo, and Dean; his sister, Sonja (John) Jabouri; aunt, uncle, siblings-in-law, many nieces, nephews, cousins, and numerous extended family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends may donate to the Jax Woodworkers Club (https://www.jaxwoodworkers.org/) in Berny’s honor. Donations will be collected by Berny’s daughter, Sheri Wurth, and presented to the club at a later date. Online donations may be sent to Sheri’s Venmo here: https://account.venmo.com/u/Sheri-Wurth or given to Sheri directly.

A viewing will take place on Wednesday, July 8th, at Hardage-Giddens Riverside Funeral Home in the Riverside Event Pavilion from 5pm–7pm, 1373 Memorial Park Road, Jacksonville, FL 32221

Funeral Mass and reception will be held on Thursday, July 9th, at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church at 10am, 8523 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221.