Harry Bertrand

Harry Frank Bertrand Jr., 59, of Jackson passed away Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Feb. 2, 1953, in Cape Girardeau, son of Harry and Dorothy Huettig Bertrand.

Harry graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 1971. He served in the U.S. Army as a SP4 in Germany from 1972 to 1975. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he attended Southeast Missouri State University, graduating in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in horticulture.

He was a member of the American Association of Nurserymen and the Missouri Association of Nurserymen, serving on the Missouri board of directors. He was a Master Gardener, doing various community projects. He was a horticulture instructor 30 years for the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. Being very active in the Boy Scouts of America, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Order of the Arrow, the Pro Deo et Patria Award (God and Country), the Boy Scout District Award of Merit in 2002, and was a member of the PaHatSi Indian Dancers Group. Harry was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson, where he served as lector and usher, Knights of Columbus Bishop Timon Council No. 6405 in Jackson, TPA, the Eagles Aerie No. 3775 in Cape Girardeau and DAV. He was an avid outdoorsman, especially enjoying camping, floating, hiking and backpacking.

Loving survivors include his parents of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Emily Wade, and husband Jon of Jackson; a son, Andrew Bertrand and fiancee Blythe Schmitt of St. Louis; a grandson, Kevin Wade of Jackson; a brother, Mike Bertrand and wife Kim of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Wash.; a sister, Barbara Bage, and husband Mark of Ballwin, Mo.; nephews, Jon Bage and David Bage of Ballwin, Brian Bage and wife Shannon of Columbia, Mo.; and the mother of his children, Cheryl Bertrand of Jackson.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jackson, with the Rev. John Harth officiating.

Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, with full military honors.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Ave., 5th floor, Norwalk, CT 06851, www.themmrf.org.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.