John Christian Bernhardt Sr., retired chairman of high-end, full-line manufacturer and importer Bernhardt Furniture Co., died at his home here last week. He was 96 years old.
Bernhardt was part of the second generation of his family to run the company founded in 1889 by his father, John Matthias Bernhardt, which grew out of a logging and land business into furniture manufacturing.
After graduation from Davidson College, John Bernhardt Sr. ran a logging camp directly under what is now Fontana Dam in the North Carolina mountains.
Upon the death of his brother George in 1946, he became head of Bernhardt Furniture Co., which grew to employ more than 2,000 people and now is led by a third generation of Bernhardts.
John Bernhardt Sr. spent much time and effort creating services needed in his community and fostering strong human relations among its citizens. The many projects he worked on include Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Lenoir BiRacial Committee, Koinonea Retirement Center, Town and Country housing development, Caldwell Hospice, Caldwell Halfway House, the Jesse Rankin historic house and a number of parks and recreation areas.
Once, when an employee's home burned down, he led an effort that built a new home in one day. In the 1940s, he and brother George led a drive to build the American Legion Center for the black community. Under his leadership, Bernhardt was an area pioneer in desegregating a business.
Bernhardt was a lifelong member, elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church, and a leader at Davidson College, First Union National Bank and the Southern Furniture Mfrs. Assn.
His awards include the Davidson College Bible Medal and Alumni Service Medal, an award from the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, the L.A. Dyart Award as Lenoir Man of the Year, the SFMA's James T. Ryan Distinguished Service Award, the Johnson Was Centennial Award, and the New York City award from the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews.
Several survivors are part of the Bernhardt management team. They include son Alex Bernhardt Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bernhardt Furniture Co., and wife Anne Harper Bernhardt, president of Bernhardt Design, the company's contract division; and grandchildren Alex Bernhardt Jr., executive vice president of residential upholstery; Rountree Collett Jr., executive vice president of residential case goods, secretary/treasurer and chief financial officer; and William Collett, vice president of residential case goods merchandising.
Other survivors include a son and daughter, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be given to either Caldwell House, 951 Kenham Place S.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; or First Presbyterian Church, 1002 Kirkwood N.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
As published by Furniture Today - June 2, 2003
Bernhardt was part of the second generation of his family to run the company founded in 1889 by his father, John Matthias Bernhardt, which grew out of a logging and land business into furniture manufacturing.
After graduation from Davidson College, John Bernhardt Sr. ran a logging camp directly under what is now Fontana Dam in the North Carolina mountains.
Upon the death of his brother George in 1946, he became head of Bernhardt Furniture Co., which grew to employ more than 2,000 people and now is led by a third generation of Bernhardts.
John Bernhardt Sr. spent much time and effort creating services needed in his community and fostering strong human relations among its citizens. The many projects he worked on include Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Lenoir BiRacial Committee, Koinonea Retirement Center, Town and Country housing development, Caldwell Hospice, Caldwell Halfway House, the Jesse Rankin historic house and a number of parks and recreation areas.
Once, when an employee's home burned down, he led an effort that built a new home in one day. In the 1940s, he and brother George led a drive to build the American Legion Center for the black community. Under his leadership, Bernhardt was an area pioneer in desegregating a business.
Bernhardt was a lifelong member, elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church, and a leader at Davidson College, First Union National Bank and the Southern Furniture Mfrs. Assn.
His awards include the Davidson College Bible Medal and Alumni Service Medal, an award from the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, the L.A. Dyart Award as Lenoir Man of the Year, the SFMA's James T. Ryan Distinguished Service Award, the Johnson Was Centennial Award, and the New York City award from the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews.
Several survivors are part of the Bernhardt management team. They include son Alex Bernhardt Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bernhardt Furniture Co., and wife Anne Harper Bernhardt, president of Bernhardt Design, the company's contract division; and grandchildren Alex Bernhardt Jr., executive vice president of residential upholstery; Rountree Collett Jr., executive vice president of residential case goods, secretary/treasurer and chief financial officer; and William Collett, vice president of residential case goods merchandising.
Other survivors include a son and daughter, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be given to either Caldwell House, 951 Kenham Place S.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; or First Presbyterian Church, 1002 Kirkwood N.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
As published by Furniture Today - June 2, 2003
John Christian Bernhardt Sr., retired chairman of high-end, full-line manufacturer and importer Bernhardt Furniture Co., died at his home here last week. He was 96 years old.
Bernhardt was part of the second generation of his family to run the company founded in 1889 by his father, John Matthias Bernhardt, which grew out of a logging and land business into furniture manufacturing.
After graduation from Davidson College, John Bernhardt Sr. ran a logging camp directly under what is now Fontana Dam in the North Carolina mountains.
Upon the death of his brother George in 1946, he became head of Bernhardt Furniture Co., which grew to employ more than 2,000 people and now is led by a third generation of Bernhardts.
John Bernhardt Sr. spent much time and effort creating services needed in his community and fostering strong human relations among its citizens. The many projects he worked on include Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Lenoir BiRacial Committee, Koinonea Retirement Center, Town and Country housing development, Caldwell Hospice, Caldwell Halfway House, the Jesse Rankin historic house and a number of parks and recreation areas.
Once, when an employee's home burned down, he led an effort that built a new home in one day. In the 1940s, he and brother George led a drive to build the American Legion Center for the black community. Under his leadership, Bernhardt was an area pioneer in desegregating a business.
Bernhardt was a lifelong member, elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church, and a leader at Davidson College, First Union National Bank and the Southern Furniture Mfrs. Assn.
His awards include the Davidson College Bible Medal and Alumni Service Medal, an award from the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, the L.A. Dyart Award as Lenoir Man of the Year, the SFMA's James T. Ryan Distinguished Service Award, the Johnson Was Centennial Award, and the New York City award from the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews.
Several survivors are part of the Bernhardt management team. They include son Alex Bernhardt Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bernhardt Furniture Co., and wife Anne Harper Bernhardt, president of Bernhardt Design, the company's contract division; and grandchildren Alex Bernhardt Jr., executive vice president of residential upholstery; Rountree Collett Jr., executive vice president of residential case goods, secretary/treasurer and chief financial officer; and William Collett, vice president of residential case goods merchandising.
Other survivors include a son and daughter, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be given to either Caldwell House, 951 Kenham Place S.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; or First Presbyterian Church, 1002 Kirkwood N.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
As published by Furniture Today - June 2, 2003
Bernhardt was part of the second generation of his family to run the company founded in 1889 by his father, John Matthias Bernhardt, which grew out of a logging and land business into furniture manufacturing.
After graduation from Davidson College, John Bernhardt Sr. ran a logging camp directly under what is now Fontana Dam in the North Carolina mountains.
Upon the death of his brother George in 1946, he became head of Bernhardt Furniture Co., which grew to employ more than 2,000 people and now is led by a third generation of Bernhardts.
John Bernhardt Sr. spent much time and effort creating services needed in his community and fostering strong human relations among its citizens. The many projects he worked on include Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Lenoir BiRacial Committee, Koinonea Retirement Center, Town and Country housing development, Caldwell Hospice, Caldwell Halfway House, the Jesse Rankin historic house and a number of parks and recreation areas.
Once, when an employee's home burned down, he led an effort that built a new home in one day. In the 1940s, he and brother George led a drive to build the American Legion Center for the black community. Under his leadership, Bernhardt was an area pioneer in desegregating a business.
Bernhardt was a lifelong member, elder and trustee of First Presbyterian Church, and a leader at Davidson College, First Union National Bank and the Southern Furniture Mfrs. Assn.
His awards include the Davidson College Bible Medal and Alumni Service Medal, an award from the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, the L.A. Dyart Award as Lenoir Man of the Year, the SFMA's James T. Ryan Distinguished Service Award, the Johnson Was Centennial Award, and the New York City award from the Brotherhood of Christians and Jews.
Several survivors are part of the Bernhardt management team. They include son Alex Bernhardt Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bernhardt Furniture Co., and wife Anne Harper Bernhardt, president of Bernhardt Design, the company's contract division; and grandchildren Alex Bernhardt Jr., executive vice president of residential upholstery; Rountree Collett Jr., executive vice president of residential case goods, secretary/treasurer and chief financial officer; and William Collett, vice president of residential case goods merchandising.
Other survivors include a son and daughter, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be given to either Caldwell House, 951 Kenham Place S.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645; or First Presbyterian Church, 1002 Kirkwood N.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
As published by Furniture Today - June 2, 2003
Inscription
JOHN CHRISTIAN
BERNHARDT
BELOVED HUSBAND OF
JEAN ALEXANDER BERNHARDT
SON OF
ELLEN H. AND JOHN M. BERNHARDT
OCTOBER 11, 1906 — MAY 29, 2003
UNSEDUCED BY FLATTERY
UNDISMAYED BY DISASTER
UNAWED BY OPINION, HE FACED
LIFE WITH ANTIQUE COURAGE
AND DEATH WITH CHRISTIAN HOPE
HUMILITY HIS VIRTUE
CHARITY AS A FRIEND
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