05/13/2026
Please join us in praying for the Bernard family as they honor the life of Ralph L. Bernard Jr. We are especially keeping his children, Angela Bernard Craig VM92 and Adam Bernard VM88, along with his sister, Regina Bernard Dain V65, in our thoughts during this difficult time.
The Bernard family’s generosity and support of Catholic education have made a lasting impact on the STVM community and generations of students. We are grateful for Ralph L. Bernard Jr.’s life of faith, service, and quiet generosity.
The STVM Irish community is holding the Bernard family in our prayers as they lay to rest their patriarch, Ralph L. Bernard Jr., a man whose quiet generosity and steadfast commitment to Catholic education shaped the lives of countless young people across our city.
The Bernard family’s legacy of giving has touched St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in profound ways. Through the Ralph L. & Florence A. Bernard Foundation, Ralph continued the work begun by his parents; supporting students through tuition assistance and opening doors to opportunity. Their impact extends across Akron’s Catholic schools, reflecting a deep and enduring belief in faith‑based education.
We are grateful for the Bernard family’s decades of support and for the many students whose lives have been changed because of their generosity.
May the road rise to meet him,
May the wind be always at his back.
May the sun shine warm upon his face,
And rains fall soft upon his fields.
And until we meet again, May God hold him in the palm of his hand.
Obituary: https://buff.ly/n9vLxmg
Mass of Christian Burial
Friday, May 15, 2026 | 6:30 PM
St. Sebastian Catholic Church
476 Mull Ave., Akron, OH 44320
In lieu of flowers, the Bernard family requests donations be made to the Bernard Foundation at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Our Lady of the Elms High School, Archbishop Hoban High School, or St. Sebastian School. https://buff.ly/Yv9p7Iv