In Loving Memory…
Christy Lea Bernard
Christy Lea Bernard of Sedalia, Mo passed away on March 9, 2023. She was born on August 15, 1931 in Bourbon, Mo, the daughter of Christian Gintz and Martha Elizabeth (Missey) Sherr. Christy graduated from Bourbon High School in 1949 and attended Girl’s State. At Bourbon High, she excelled in academics, basketball and cheerleading.
She had a long career as an administrative assistant at Hubbard Elementary School, State Fair Community College in the Career Educational Department and at Washington Elementary School. She was beloved by the students and faculty alike.
She met the love of her life, William Britt Bernard, in 1970 and they married in 1973. Christy and Britt loved to travel, listen to music and they reveled in the lives of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Theirs was a blended family with seven teenagers, who tested their love and patience regularly. Christy and Britt were surrounded by their great friends, Helen and Jack Baker, Barb and Joe Hewitt and Kenny and Charlotte Cordry. Christy and Britt had wonderful years together until Britt’s death in 2005.
Christy loved to spend time with her family and her friends, she loved to play bridge and gin rummy, she was an absolutely voracious reader, often reading a book a day, she was a great letter writer and a mean crossword puzzle solver, she made beautiful quilts and embroidery, and she loved to laugh. Her smile and laughter were spontaneous and infectious. She made friends easily and cherished her closest relationships.
She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and was a founding member of Our Savior Lutheran Church and she considered both to be her spiritual homes. She was a long-time supporter of St. Paul’s Lutheran School, where her children all attended.
Preceding her in death were her parents, her brothers Christian and Bud, her sisters Ellen and Mary, first husband William Morrow, father of her children, and her husband, Britt.
She is survived by her children Bill Morrow and his wife Barbara, Sedalia, Melissa Rigoli, Independence, Becky Baker, Sedalia, and Jim Morrow and his wife Hillary, Kansas City and her step-children Cathy (Bernard) Gaffney and her husband Pat, Prescott, Arizona, Therese Bernard, San Diego, and Vince Bernard, Galveston, Texas, her grandchildren Bill Morrow and his wife Melody, Megan (Morrow) Hertzog and her husband John, Travis Baker, Rocky Rigoli and his wife Lisa, Alison Morrow and Amanda (Morrow) Pestotnik and her husband Matt, and great-grandchildren, Dalton Oetting, Darion Morrow, Kennedy Hertzog, Norah Hertzog, Luka Pestotnik, and more to come, and her younger brother Ben Sherr of Sedalia.
She leaves behind a legacy of love of family, love of learning and a deep abiding faith in God that saw her through so many good and bad times. She was a woman of strong intellect and even stronger character. Most importantly, she was our wonderful mother.
A private burial will be at Crown Cemetery beside her husband. Visitation will be on March 18, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 301 E. Broadway in Sedalia. A Celebration of Life will follow at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church or School.
Arrangements are in the care of Heckart Funeral Home.
12 Responses
The Morrow house was often the meeting place for me and eight other teenage boys who hung out with Bill all through High School. Christy was almost one of us. She had the spirit of a teenager. Her legacy to us will be those memories.
What a wonderful tribute to your mom!
Barb and I wish you peace, comfort, and many happy memories.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. I wish you peace and comfort as you grieve through this difficult time, remember that you are all so loved and your mom is looking down for heaven still smiling and saying I may not be there in the physical being but I am still with you. Continue to remember the beautiful memories. God Bless you and your family.
Bill, I never met your Mom but she sounds like a wonderful person. Amber and I send our deepest sympathy to you and your family. I know that you will miss her but you will always remember the happy times that you had with her.
She was such a nice member of this community. I am sorry to hear about her passing Bill, and Barb.
Becky Munson
Please accept my deepest sympathies.
I am so sorry for your family in the loss of Christy. Jeff and I have fond memories of Christy, at SFCC, as well as Brett when he and Jeff played in a band together. May happy memories bring you comfort and peace.
Bill, Melissa, Becky and Jim – we can all be thankful to our loving parents for sending us to St. Paul’s Lutheran School. At school and at home we learned the love of Jesus and His saving Grace. I got reaquainted with your mom when she married Bret. We had lots of fun chasing after the “band” whichever one it was that week. Then back at church, and during Bible Study, she could make everyone smile and feel so special! So sorry for your loss, but rejoice that your mom is resting in Jesus arms!
Christy and Britt played a large part of our children’s growing up years. Britt gave our children music lessons…trumpet, saxophone and clarinet. He also taught them great life lessons. I visited Christy after Britt died and all she talked about was our children and Dorothy Mae. She had a wonderful relationship with our Aunt Dorothy Mae Kitchen. Christy was truly a wonderful person.
Has been many years since I saw all of you at St.Pauls and Our Savior. Remember when we had church at convention hall in Liberty Park? Brooks told me about your mom is how I found out. I’m so glad you had your mom for so long. Lots of great memories with all you kids still stuck in my brain. Hope all of your hearts heal fast. So sorry to hear about your mom and may she rest in peace.
I’m so very sorry for the family’s loss…
A special lady. Always had a special attitude and outlook.