Obituary of Bernard Bard

Bernard Bard had a lot of strong opinions about writing. Be short and to the point, no wasted words. Talk in Plain Talk. He hated pretension.

 

In deference to his wishes this obituary will be “to the point” but not “short.” His life was too full and there is too much to say.

 

Bernard  “Bernie” Bard passed away at the age of 90 on January 21, 2018 in Pittsboro, North Carolina. Beloved husband of over sixty-two years to Peggy (Tarshis) Bard (his bride from London) and father to Stephen Bard, Ruth Bard Rampel and Philip (who died as an infant).  Bernard also held dear his daughter-in-law Lori Bard, his son-in-law Mark Rampel, his grandchildren Michelle and Melissa Bard and Benjamin, Maya and Kate Rampel, and his dear brother Eugene Bard.

 

Bernie was the quintessential New York City newspaper reporter.  He covered education and later business related issues for The New York Post for 34 years. 

 

Bernard Bard was born to Sally (Stern) and Irving Bard in New York City in 1927.  The son of Jewish Russian immigrants, Bernie grew up helping out in the family candy store, making egg creams and monitoring the candy aisle to make sure that the Hershey bars were not stolen (following his father’s directive).  At the age of 18 he entered the Army and served from 1945 to 1947, driving a garbage truck in Guam. After serving in the war Bernie began his studies at New York University where he received his B.A. in 1950.  This was paid for by the G.I. Bill.

 

He started out as a reporter for the Atlantic City Tribune in 1950. He also worked for the Meriden (Connecticut) Daily News-Digest and then the Long Island Press before he started at The New York Post as an Education Reporter in 1959.  He was the Education Reporter from 1959 to 1979 and then a Business Reporter from 1981 to 1993.  In 1978 he started teaching journalism and was an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College, New York University  and New York Institute of Technology.  Bernie was also a magazine feature story  writer and was the Public Relations Officer for the Malverne (New York) Public Schools from 1978 to 1990.  He was a member of the New York Newspaper Guild and won many awards for writing from various associations including the New York State Associated Press.

 

Bernie was also a published author:  LBJ-The Picture Story of Lyndon Baines-Johnson (1966) and The School Lunchroom-Time of Trial (1968) and The Bakke Decision in the Nation’s Press (1978).

 

In 2008 Bernie and his wife Peggy relocated from Westbury, New York to Pittsboro, North Carolina to be near Ruth and Mark and their children.  Bernie taught himself to swim at the age of 82 (back stroke only). He started swimming several times a week and kept up his walking habit. He would sometimes go on several walks a day.  He swam on the Monday and Tuesday before his death. 

 

At the age of 85 he trained to become a literacy coach and was assigned a family near Jordan Lake in Durham. Bernie would drive over to their mobile home frequently and teach them to read.  He was very invested in the family and made many phone calls to assist the grown daughter in getting into a local community college. Ultimately he was successful. In a Christmas card from December 2012, the Perez-Garcia Family wrote:  “We also want to tell you that you’re an angel that God sent upon us. It was a great blessing to have met you and for us you will always be our teacher who is unreplacable.  We love you very much.”

 

While retired in North Carolina Bernie still kept up with newspapers by writing Letters to the Editor to the News and Observer in Raleigh.  The letter published in May of 2015 expresses his strong opinions and somewhat cynical attitude:  He wrote:  “The headline to the May 11 news article said “In speech Duke grads urged to serve.”  Really?  Better advice to all grads nowadays would be to go for the big bucks so they’re not locked up for defaulting on their student loans.”

 

Bernie had a dry wit and was known for his jokes and one-liners. He seemed to have a joke for every occasion and was described by friends as a Borscht-Belt Comedian.

 

Here are a few of his one-liners, as reported by his colleagues from the New York Post:

 

“Covering education for the NY Post was like covering crime for National Geographic.”

 

At Katz’ Deli on the Lower East Side:  “Every time somebody orders pastrami on white, a Jew dies.”

 

And….his most famous quote:

“If it’s not catered, it’s not journalism”

 

This was later altered to “If it ain’t catered, it ain’t journalism.”

 

This quote has been mentioned in speeches (Pete Hamill), articles in The New York Post (July 2, 2014 article by Phil Mushnick) and in Men’s Health  (July 30, 2014 article by Bob Drury).  Clyde Haberman wrote an article for The New York Times on August 27, 2002 called “What They Don’t Teach you at J-School”  Mr. Haberman wrote:  “To borrow from Bernard Bard, a colleague at The New York Post years ago, if it ain’t catered, it ain’t journalism.”

 

Bernie loved teaching journalism and was very dramatic. He would stand up on a desk to make a point and used colorful language at times.  

In an interview with an alumni of NY Institute of Technology (from an article in their campus newspaper: The Campus Slate), Kevin Horton described Bernie’s teaching style:

 

“Question: Name a professor that had the greatest affect on you while attending NYIT and is now reflected in your work today?

 

Answer: Many of the professors were great. Bernie Bard, who was retired from The New York Post was the most colorful. He would have us write leads, saying it was the most important part of a story. He would have us write our leads on the board and then critique them. If he liked it he would shout, “[expletive] beautiful lead!” If he really liked your lead he’d plop a dollar down on your desk. One time he threw his entire wallet at a student!”

 

Bernie also had quotes that are remembered by his family:

 

Regarding business deals: 

“Nothing has ever really happenrd until money changes hands.”

 

Regarding Life Decisions:

 

“Listen to your Kishkas" (Yiddish word for “guts”)

 

When asked in 2015 about how he wanted to be remembered when he died, Bernie said: “Tell them that he always spoke his mind.”

 

Bernie was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.  He was always there to help when needed, helping to pick up the pieces when things fell apart in one way or another. He was described as a Mensch by many people, and also described as “larger than life.”

 

If you would like to donate to a charity in Bernie’s memory, he was a fan of The Salvation Army.  

 

Bernie will be missed by so many.  “If you’ve got your health, you have everything” Bernie used to say.  He would want us to remember that and not stress about the small stuff.

 

Charlie Carillo, a colleague at the New York Post, wrote a wonderful blog post and tribute to Bernie.  Here is the link: 

http://carilloauthor.com/blog/