John Henry Bern

SIOUX CITY -- John Henry Bern, 84, of Sioux City passed away Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, at a local nursing home following a brief illness.

Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Roger Madden officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. There is no visitation planned. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

John was born July 8, 1925, in Sioux City, the son of Chris and Laverne (Hill) Bern. He graduated from Central High School in 1943. He was a World War II veteran, serving with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946. He served on a B-24 in the Philippines as a ball turret gunner.

He married Ethel Lyons on May 4, 1946, in Moville, Iowa. She preceded him in death on Dec. 19, 1999. He was the owner and operator of Sioux City Blueprint until his retirement.

He was the recipient of the Siouxland Treasure award in 2004 and the St. Luke's Hospital Spirit award in 2006. He was recently honored in December 2009, for his 9,000 hours of volunteer work at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center. He was a member of First United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his daughter, Debbie and her husband, Fritz Mock of Lake City, Colo.; his son, Ken Bern of Grants Pass, Ore.; two grandchildren, Mindi and Kelley; a stepgrandson, Forrest; two great-grandchildren, Justin and Logan; a brother, Paul Bern and his wife, Nona of Ohio; a sister, Pat Magalski of California; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Bob and Mary Lyons of Sioux City; and numerous nieces, nephews; in-laws and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; and a grandson, Chris.