Peter Axford Bernard

After many difficult years living with Lewy body dementia, Peter Axford Bernard passed away on December 8, 2023.

P.A.B., as he was lovingly called, was born on November 7, 1934, in Elizabeth, NJ. He grew up in Maplewood, NJ, with his brother Tom and sister Nancy and graduated from Columbia High School, class of 1952.

He is survived by his wife Kitty (Kathryn Davenport Bernard), his three daughters; Tricia, Nancy & Gail, and seven grandchildren; Gillian, Clay, Justin, Will, Henry, Gioia, and Theo.

Having graduated from Dartmouth College in 1956 and the Tuck School of Business in 1957 on an ROTC scholarship, he then served in the U.S. Navy in Newport, RI where he met Kitty, who was a student at Wellesley College. They were married at Grace Church in NYC in 1960 and lived in Greenwich Village, where they explored their shared love for music and the arts.

Peter spent his career as an investment banker for Bache & Co.,(later Prudential Securities) and served on the board of the NASD (National Association of Security Dealers). Upon his retirement, Peter and Kitty embarked on a multi-year adventure exploring the waterways of America on their boat. They were perfect traveling companions with Peter at the helm and Kitty as the cruise director. They loved entertaining and eventually settled on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where they lived for 19 years.

Peter was much loved throughout his life for his kindness and generosity, charming his way into hearts until his very last days, despite the ravages of his dementia.

He will be remembered for many gifts - his storytelling prowess, his grace on the dance floor, his love of puzzles, his crusty beer bread, and most of all, his deep and abiding love for his family and friends.

His final gift was to donate his brain to science - so that research will help to inform and progress our understanding of this terrible disease.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests charitable contributions in memory of Peter A. Bernard be made to Brain Support Network, PO Box 7264 Menlo Park, CA 94026, or www.brainsupportnetwork.org.

Online condolences may be made at www.gordonfuneralservice.com.

Gordon Funeral Service and Crematory, 1904 Lancaster Ave, Monroe, NC 28112 is honored to be entrusted to care for the Bernard Family.