Obituary of Bernard Pekala

Bernard A. Pekala, Sr. a resident of Burlington for 44 years, passed away at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center on Sunday, December 9, 2007. He was 83 years old. Mr. Pekala was born, raised and educated in Fern Glen, PA. He was the son of the late Raymond S. and Anna Pekala. He joined the Marines at the age of 17 to fight in WW II. Mr. Pekala made the military a career proudly serving his country for 20 years in the United States Marine Corp as combat soldier and drill instructor. He was the recipient of 6 Good Conduct Medals, China Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, American Theatre Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, UN Service (Korea) Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean PUC Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and a Presidential Unit Citation. Mr. Pekala and his late wife settled in Burlington in 1963 where they raised their two children. He was a member of the Marine Corp League in Burlington. He was proud to represent the Marine Corps League in the many ceremonies and events honoring veterans. He was an avid sports fan and followed the Red Sox, Patriots and the Boston College Eagles. He also had a fondness for animals. He was a proud father and grandfather, who worked hard to provide his children loving home and a quality education. Mr. Pekala was the husband of the late Maria E. (Vieira). He was the loving father of Bernard A. Pekala, Jr. & his wife Laura of Bedford and Deborah J. & her husband Matthew Wilbert of Boxborough. He was the grandfather of Bernard A. Pekala, III, Blair Ann Pekala, and Gwendolyn Ann Wilbert. He was predeceased by 7 brothers & sisters. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 2 p.m. Visiting hours Friday 6-8 p.m. Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, VA. Memorials in Bernard’s name may be made to the Popcorn Park Zoo, P. O. Box 43, Forked River, NJ 08731. Words of Remembrance What kind of man was Bernard August Pekala, Sr.? Was he Iron Mike, one of the strictest drill instructors in the Marine Corps or Papa, a loving family man who fed the mice nesting in his tool shed? Our father was both -- the toughest, kindest man you'd ever meet. Growing up during the Depression, he knew about hunger and privation first hand. He spent long days searching along the rail lines for coal to heat his parents’ home or picking berries to help put food on the table. An animal lover from childhood, he learned to hunt deer from necessity. But he always waited for a clear shot so there wouldn't be any suffering and he resolved not to take a doe for fear of orphaning her fawns. Duty played a large role in our father's life. He greatly valued education, and one of his proudest accomplishments was sending both his children and later his grandchildren to good schools. But he chose to sacrifice his own education by leaving high school early to join the Marines -- to fight for our country in World War II while sending his paycheck home to his family. Papa didn't like talking about the time he spent fighting in the Pacific. We know he lost many good buddies. But we also know he saved many, carrying them to safety and using his own medical supplies to patch them up. We were not surprised to learn that he was wounded but declined to file for a Purple Heart. Our father was the type of man who would perform heroic deeds but shy away from recognition. Recognition found him anyway, and he was highly decorated during his career in the service. We only know these facts from our mother, the great romantic love of his life. After serving in China and Korea as well as the Pacific, he was able to marry our mother and start a family while training new generations of Marines as a drill instructor. He set high standards for both his children and his award-winning platoons and they strove to meet them out of love and respect. Our father reluctantly left the Corps after twenty years in order to provide more stability for his children. The man we knew growing up didn't complain about the cold of the meat locker where he worked and didn't show pain when he cut himself on the job. Instead, he focused on the fact that he was providing for his family, keeping them free of the want he had known as a child. His loving care continued in his home life whether he was rooting for me at sporting events or teaching my sister to waltz. But he made sure our activities were always secondary to our studies. He was determined that his children would have the opportunities that he sacrificed and he saved enough money to allow us both to go to expensive colleges. Later in life, he focused his love for his grandchildren; Bernie III, Blair and Gwendolyn. As a role model he extended his care to animals. He adopted a family dog away from an abusive owner, dutifully kept several bird feeders filled, and taught squirrels to eat from his hand. In cahoots with our mother, he donated to several animal rescue organizations and followed the welfare of their featured animals closely. Of course he never forgot his legacy in the service -- once a Marine, always a Marine. He was active in Marine Corps associations and when he retired from his civilian career, he attended many far-flung reunions along with his wife. But even in his seventies, he was still ready to serve. At the start of operations in Afghanistan, he wanted to find a way to share his experience of fighting in difficult terrain with the troops heading overseas. There aren't many people who could match his loyalty – to God, to his country, the Marine Corps, his family, his buddies, and even the animals that shared his world. What kind of man was Bernard August Pekala, Sr. (Papa)? He was a good man. A tough man. A kind man. A hero. And we will miss him very much.