Lail Bernard

Lail "Cotton" Bernard, 87, died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Sept. 15, 1931, in Oran, Missouri, to the late Lacey and Idus Edwards Bernard. He was married in 1955 to Mary Estes in Oran, and they had two children, Lacey and Patti Eaker Bernard of St. Charles, Missouri, and Wendy Nenninger of Jackson.

He had resided in Gale, Illinois; Cape Girardeau from 1964 to 1985; and Sikeston, Missouri, from 1985 to 2009. He had been a resident of Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau since 2009.

He had been a construction supervisor for Storey's Grocery Chain and was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Korea. He was the recipient of a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. In September 2018, he participated in the Honor Tour of Washington, D.C., with both of his children.

He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion, and attended church services at the veterans home chapel.

Also surviving are five grandchildren, Holly Tucker of Cape Girardeau, Jenna Smith of Jackson, Austin Nenninger of Cape Girardeau, Libby Bernard of Sikeston and Evan Bernard of St. Charles, Missouri. Three sisters, Barbara Venable of Scott City, Zexia Sietman of Oran and Etber LeGrand of St. Louis, also survive.

He was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters.

A memorial service will be from 3 to 5 p.m., with a eulogy at 5 p.m., Dec. 22 at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The family will have a private graveside memorial service, with full military honors, Dec. 28 at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to the Avenue of Flags, VFW Post 3838, 1049 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701; Attn.: AOF.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.blanchardfuneral.com.

Announcement courtesy of Blanchard Funeral Home of Sikeston.