Mr. Joe Edward Bernard, 89, of Greenbush, passed away Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.
Born Nov. 4, 1936, in Saxis and raised in Mears, he was the son of the late Joseph Elias Bernard and Myrtle Knight Bernard.
Joe was a graduate of Parksley High School and proudly served in the U.S. Army National Guard, attaining the rank of sergeant at the time of his discharge.
A lifelong farmer, Joe devoted more than 50 years to agriculture, serving as farm manager for Byrd Foods throughout his career. His dedication to farming was a defining part of his life and legacy.
Joe was a member of Modest Town Baptist Church. He had a deep appreciation for antique cars and tractors and enjoyed sharing that passion with others. He was a member of both the Eastern Shore Cruisers and Crab Town Cruisers and attended annual events held by the Peninsula Tractor Organization, where he enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship of fellow enthusiasts.
Joe is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Eleanor Smith Bernard; his children, Edward “Allen” Bernard and his wife, Denise, of Assawoman, JoEllen Ayres and her husband, Carl, of Modest Town, Joseph “Paul” Bernard and his wife, Rebekah, of Parksley, and Richard Bernard and his wife, Jessica, of Melfa; his brother, James Alfred Bernard, of Guilford; his grandchildren, Devon Hickman (Justin), Harris Phillips (Martha), Joseph Bernard, Erin Sharrow (Rick), Hannah Leonetti (Brad), Cassie Wagner (Trystan), Nikki Zavala (Rudy), Shane Bernard (Alex), Bailey Bernard (Courtney), Landry Bernard (Jarrett), and Brooke Budd; his great-grandchildren, Cylas, Brielle, Ember, Cassidy, Harper, Owen, Levi, Noah, Rowyn, Abbi, Bri, Jazmin, Kaitlyn, Madelyn, Elias, Scarlett, Atticus, Atlas, and Artemis. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Nina Sue McKinney.
The family extends its deepest gratitude and appreciation to Tia and Trower Bell, Eastern Shore Ambulance Service, the staff on C Wing at Shore Health and Rehabilitation Center, Riverside Shore Hospice, and Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services will be conducted from the chapel of the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 1 p.m., with the Rev. Cody Ramsay officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joe’s memory may be made to Modest Town Baptist Church, c/o Cara Rolander, P.O. Box 105, Modest Town, VA 23412; to Eastern Shore Cruisers, c/o Chester Jackson, P.O. Box 366, Parksley, VA 23421; or to Peninsula Tractor Organization, 8104 Sunset Cove Drive, Exmore, VA 23350, http://www.peninsulatractor.org/support/
Memory tributes may be shared at www.williamsfunerahomes.com
Arrangements are by the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home.
