Bernard Edward Meurrens

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Bernard E. Meurrens died on December 25, 2013 from complications of dementia at the VA Hospital in Prescott, Arizona. Bernard had been struggling with this terminal brain disease for at least five years. He is survived by his wife Rita, son John, daughter Pam and son-in-law Ted, their granddaughter Kayla, and two grandsons Andrew and Keith. He is also survived by his sister Beverly Cochrane and brother Dan Meurrens. He was always remembered to be a fun and upbeat person, highly motivated and enthusiastic about his work and personal life. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends. Bernard was known by his family and friends as Bernie or Buck. He was born in 1938 in Omaha, Nebraska to Dorothy and John Meurrens. He attended high school at Creighton Prep and college at Creighton University of which he was always very proud. He and Rita were married in 1960 and he began his career in the Army with the military police corps in 1961, which lasted 21 years. During his military career, he served in two separate one-year hardship tours in Vietnam. One in 1963 and the other in 1969 in which he was awarded numerous medals and honors for demonstration of bravery above and beyond the call of duty. He earned his master’s in business administration from the University of Alabama in 1970 and is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. After his military career Bernard moved into a second career working as a consultant and manager in nuclear security. This career kept him and Rita moving around the country as much, if not more, than when he was in the military. He became fully retired in 1998 when he and Rita then moved to Wintergreen, Virginia. They were very active in volunteer work and Bernie became President of the Nellysford Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. After 10 years, he and Rita then moved to Prescott, Arizona where he lived out the rest of his 8 years hiking, golfing, kayaking and volunteering with the local Veterans Administration. Bernie was an avid runner and ran in, and completed, the New York marathon in under 4 hours in 1981. He was a die-hard Cornhusker fan and also the Alabama Tide. He adored his wife, family and grandchildren. He was a great friend and neighbor in every community where he and Rita lived. We wish him now peace with God.

Cemetery:
Final commendation will take place at 3 p.m. April 23, 2014 at the