Obituary of Heather Bernhardt

Heather Bernhardt

1961-2024

Suddenly, on March 21, 2024, Heather Olive Bernhardt moved into God’s nearer presence.  Heather was born on March 6, 1961, in Melita, MB, to Alvin and Mae Nield.  She was the youngest of five children. She moved to Winnipeg as a young child and then eventually to an acreage near Deacon’s Corner, MB.

Heather was active in many things including drama and art, but her real love was music.  She sang with the Winnipeg Girls Choir and was asked to solo at her high school graduation.  At the age of seventeen, Heather decided to do something new and different.  She joined the Canadian Forces reserve as a member of the 17^th Service Battalion’s Military Police platoon.  It was there that she met her future husband, Don Bernhardt.

After two years, Heather left the reserves and enrolled at the University of Manitoba but decided that a career in nursing was what her true vocation was.  She enrolled in the Red River College’s Registered Nursing program, graduating in 1982.

By then she had married Don and the couple settled in Brandon, MB.  Heather quickly found employment in nursing, working first at a private nursing home and later as one of the first cadre of nurses at the newly opened Dinsdale Home.  After some ten years of nursing, she was forced to leave a job she loved due to injury.

In 1994, Heather became what she was truly called to be, a mother, when they received their son, Joshua.  Four years later, daughter Jennifer entered their lives.

In 2006, the family moved to Virden, MB when Don took a position as the rector of St. Mary’s Anglican Church.  Heather joined in many activities at the church and always made sure that everyone felt welcome.  She was a woman of a deep yet quiet faith and was always ready to reach out and serve where and how she could.

She tried her hand at banking, but nursing pulled her back in.  She worked at one of the local nursing homes for a brief time, but eventually became a public health nurse at Birdtail and Sioux Valley Dakota Nations. 

After leaving that profession, Heather focused on another love, cooking and baking, with a dream of one day having her own restaurant.  While that never came to pass, Heather was able to feed many family and friends, and feed them well. 

After returning to Brandon in 2016, her health began to suffer, and mobility became an issue.  Never the less, she was fiercely protective of her family and we never for a second doubted her love and determination.  She was an amazing wife, mother, sister and friend and we will hold her close in our memories and hearts until that day when we can see her again. 

Heather was pre-deceased by her mother and father.  She is survived by her husband, Don, her children Joshua and Jennifer and her siblings Tom, Laura, Ross and Melody, along with many nieces, nephews, and a grandnephew.

A memorial service will be held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, 403 13^th Street, Brandon, MB on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.

Donations in memory of Heather may be made to Saving St. Matthew’s Project, 403 13^th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 4P9.