LINCOLNVILLE — Gerald “Jerry” Allen Bernier died after a long illness on April 9, 2023 at his home in Lincolnville, Maine surrounded by his wife, family, close friends and his dogs.
 
Born in Toledo, Ohio on Sept. 8, 1939, he grew up in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.

He was an avid learner, after graduating high school he attended Lowell Technical Institute for a year before transferring to Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He also attended Penn State, graduating with a masters in Nuclear Engineering. He then graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a PHD in Polymer Science. Later in his educational journey he studied geology at Cleveland State.
 
While working for General Electric Corp., he met Jane Novak in Schenectady, New York. After a brief courtship they were married on April 20, 1968. In 1970, the Berniers moved to Maine and welcomed their son, Nathaniel, in June in of 1973.
 
Jerry worked for the Maine Dept. Of Environmental Protection in the 1970s while starting a miniature book company “The Borrowers Press” with his wife, Jane. In 1980, the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio so that Jane could attend dental school. While living in Cleveland, Jerry drove a van for a grocery cooperative that supplied farmers markets in downtown Cleveland and continued to grow the miniature book business. When Jane graduated dental school, the Berniers returned to Maine, settling in Belfast and Jerry returned to the DEP.  He became the head of the Air Quality bureau and during his tenure he designed their computer system. He retired in 1999.
 
In 1990 the Berniers purchased a farm in Lincolnville that would become a home for Dexter cattle and Shetland sheep. Coupled with his love for animals, machinery and farm life, he and his wife were very busy well after he retired. He loved to work on his machines and maintain the farm until he began to decline.
 
In addition to the farm, he had many hobbies: traveling, camping, attending concerts, renovating and flipping houses. He had a passion and love for fishing, he instilled this in his son and grandchildren. Fishing is a family hobby to this day.
 
He was well known for his friendly, mellow nature, wry wit, smile and kind words. He will be missed.
 
Jerry is survived by his wife, Jane, and son, Nathaniel; sister, Sharon and her husband Tom; grandchildren Kayleigh, Jackson and Aislinn; dogs Billy and Josephine.

He is predeceased by his mother, Erma; father, Emmet; and brother, John.