Upcoming Services

Visitation and Rosary: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

St. John Neumann Catholic Church

2730 Nelwood Drive

Houston, Texas 77038

Mass: 11:00 a.m.

Houston National Cemetery:  12:45 p.m. (In Procession)

Military Honors Presented By:

United States Navy

Houston Honor Guard

Our dad, Arthur Mendez Bernal, passed away on May 16, 2026. He was born on

January 8th, 1934, in Cameron, Texas, the son of Hijinio and Lillie Bernal. He's the big

brother of Mary Olivia Grimaldo who lives in Bryan, Texas. Preceded in death by his

beautiful wife and our mother, Rose (d.2022), their baby son Ronald Gene (d.1958), his

brothers and sisters, Fred Bernal, Felix Bernal, Ernest Bernal, Jesse Bernal, Joe Bernal,

Lydia Rodriguez, Janie Moreno, and Ermelinda Jaramillo. Our dad married our mom at

St. Teresa Catholic Church in Bryan, Texas in 1953. Their surviving children are

Thomas Bernal (Cindy), Teresa Tähtinen (Mark), Deborah Rangel (Frank), and Patricia

Harrington (Doug). Their grandchildren are Andrea Cornier, Julia Trevino (Joe), Tommy

Ward, Chelsea Simmons (Josh), Brandy Bean, Teresa Gonzalez (Corey), Anne Marie

Vasquez (Ruben), Toni Franco-Felan (Christina), Christina Franco (Harmony), and Kelly

Franco (Jaime). He and mom have 17 great grandchildren and two great great

grandsons.

After our mom passed away, dad remained very independent. He had a routine that was

hard to disrupt. He’d wake up, pray, take his early morning meds, wash up, get dressed

in his heavily starched jeans, a t-shirt and his blue jean jacket, and of course his cap. A

sailor never leaves without their cap.

He was usually out the door by 8:30 to get to Denny’s or Whataburger by 9:00 a.m.

He’d walk into any restaurant like he owned the place. At his Whataburger, the man at

the register would say, “I got you! Have a seat!”

After celebrating his 92nd birthday this year he fell sick with pneumonia and was

hospitalized. Many things were discovered at that hospital stay that made him realize he

could no longer live alone. He moved in with Debbie and Frank where he was cared for

during hospital recovery, cancer treatments, and finally two more hospital stays that

took a toll on his body. He was brought home on Friday evening, made comfortable and

passed away early Saturday morning, May 16th

. Our dad served in the Navy during the Korean war. He was a very proud and

hardworking man who loved God, his family, and America. Dad watched mass every

day at 11:00 a.m. on EWTN and prayed the rosary daily. His favorite sports teams were

the Texas A&M Aggies, the New York Yankees, the LA Lakers, and the Dallas Cowboys.

He loved watching old westerns and war movies with John Wayne. He loved watching

reruns of old western shows like Gunsmoke, the Rifleman, Maverick, and many more.

The theory was that he was hard of hearing, he knew what they were saying.

You are at peace, Dad! Until we meet again!