Fannie Mae Bernard

Fannie Mae Perkins-Ard-Bernard was born on September 18, 1922, in a one room mountain cabin near Bigelow Divide in Custer County Colorado. She passed away peacefully at home with family surrounding her on August 30, 2026, 19 days shy of her 104th birthday. Fannie Mae was preceded in death by her parents J.L. and Fanny Perkins, one sister Alice, two brothers, Jim and Stanley, her former husband Gilbert Ard, her husband John Bernard, her beloved son James Ard as well as her much loved sisters-in-law (Eva, Georgia, and Jo), parents-in-law, and grandparents.

She is survived by her brother Neal Perkins, her children, Stanley Ard, Gilbert Ard, Richard Ard, Sheryl Southey, Debra Armstrong, Paulette (Stewart) Mapes. She has 26 grandchildren, 55ish great-grandchildren, a slew of great-great-grandchildren, just fewer than a slew of great-great-great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, family members, and friends.

Two words can best describe her, family and faith.

She kept a daily journal for 30 years and through reading them these two priorities were evident.

She was called by God and ordained as an Elder in the Community of Christ Church (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and was faithfully devoted to her Lord.

She was extraordinarily talented. She had a beautiful soprano voice, was a pianist, talented seamstress, needle worker (knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stich, tatting), master baker and cake decorator. All of these skills were self-taught as she could read about and learn whatever she decided to pursue.

Her greatest desire was to be a teacher. She manifested this desire through her own avid learning/reading but also by reading to and teaching her descendants and all others who had the privilege of knowing her.

Professionally, she worked at the Colorado State Hospital as a Psych Tech and then as an RN. She had many stories to tell about the State Hospital and ended her career caring for children ages 2-10 on Children’s Center. She loved and cared for those children as if they were her own.

What a life well lived!

We will miss her and pray that we will continue to live in ways that would please her and honor her legacy.

Celebration of Life will be at 1pm on September 19, 2026 at Oasis Christian Church, 347 S. Del Norte Ave., Pueblo West, CO

Live stream will be available