(Ret)Cw-04 Bernard Ryan Head

Bernard Ryan Head, 102 1/2, of Manhattan, KS, passed away Thursday, April 16th, at Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan, KS. He was retired from the US Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 4, and the Civil Service in Manpower Management. He was an active member of the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, a Knights of Columbus 4th Degree, and a member of the American Legion. Bernard was born in Waverly, Kentucky on October 16th, 1912, the 9th child of the late John Aubrey & Bertha Hannah (Greenwall) Head. He attended schools in Waverly and helped his family by working on a dairy farm when was 12 years old. He graduated from high school in Waverly, KY in a class of 9 people. In his early 20's, he spent time helping his brother Barker drive new automobiles from the Ford Factory in Michigan, to the West Coast. After one of these journies he stayed in Pomona, CA and began bartending. He helped form the first Waitress & Bartenders Union. While in Pomona he enlisted in the Army where he was placed in the Reserves due to his age of being 27 years old. After Pearl Harbor was bombed his was activated to report to duty for World War II. In the early years of the war he helped train soldiers headed to battle. In 1944, he was deployed to Germany and served in the Battle of the Bulge. He received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. After the war, while stationed in Ft. Monroe, Virginia, he met his lovely lady Dorothy. She was also stationed there, working in a mess hall when they met. On June 3rd, 1948 he was united in marriage to E. Dorothy Denio, back in Waverly, KY with all of his family. In their 46 years of marriage they traveled to many places including a long trip through Italy, where they visited the Vatican in Rome. In 1953, they welcomed a baby girl into their family who they named Mary Barbara. They lived in Austria, Newfoundland, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis before settling in Manhattan, KS in 1967. Ryan and Dorothy spent most of all of their time together, he took an interest in everything she did. She taught him to sew and to bake. He later carried on these traits long after she was gone. After retiring from his Civil Service career in Ft. Riley in 1977, he went on to become a founding parioshoner of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Up until he was close to 100 years old he opend the church every morning and set up preparations for Mass. He also helped with all funerals and assisted Father with services. He cared for his wife until her passing on April 19th, 1994. He went on to be a Hospice volunteer in home settings for over 10 years. He also helped to care for and be an influence in the lives of his grandchildren as they grew up. Letting them always know 'they were always welcome, the door is always open, you know how to get in'. He spent time reading books about his Faith, baking bread, gardening flowers and vegetables, doing yard work, painting his house, and cleaning the gutters...until his family told him to 'get off the ladder'. He liked to kid and joke around. He said the key to life was staying active, to never stress because it will always work itself out, and eating fresh fruit in your bowl of cereal every morning. Bernard is survived by his daughter, Mary Barbara Sutterlin and her husband George Sutterlin, of Manhattan, KS; 5 grandchildren, Gerard & Molly Pfannenstiel of Omaha, NE; Shane Hosier of San Diego, CA; Serina & Matt Norris, of Manhattan, KS; Amanda Sutterlin of Manhattan, KS; Charles Ryan Sutterlin of San Diego, CA; 2 great grandchildren, Lucy & Leland Pfannenstiel of Omaha, NE; as well as many nieces and nephews. Bernard was preceded in deah by his wife, parents, 7 brothers, 2 sisters and a grandchild, Heather Hosier. Family welcomes friends to visitation on Wednesday April 22nd from 1:00pm until the Rosary at 7:00pm at the Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home,1317 W. Poyntz Ave. The Mass of Chrisian Burial will be Thursday, April 23rd at 10:00am at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Manhattan, KS, a luncheon will follow, with a procession leaving the church at 1:00pm for burial at the Ft. Riley Base Cemetery in Ft. Riley, KS. Memorials can be made to the Good Shepard Hospice House and left in care of the Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home. For more information, or to send an email, condolence, or gift, visit the funeral home website at irvinparkview.com. Arrangements by Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home & Cremation, Manhattan.