Bernard Archer - Obituary

ernard Julius F. Archer, 96, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2015 in Annapolis, Maryland. Bernard was born on August 19, 1918 in Philadelphia, PA to Jennie Gurley and Bernard Francis Archer Sr. His mother later married his stepfather, Julius E. Baptiste, who was instrumental in Bernard’s raising. He attended Philadelphia Public Schools, receiving his diploma from Central High School. After graduating from the prestigious Eckels College of Embalming, he became a Licensed Funeral Director in January 1941, achieving the highest mark on the Pennsylvania Funeral Director’s examination among his cohort. Bernard served as Supervising Mortician at the John C. McKain Funeral Home in north Philadelphia for 33 years before acquiring and establishing his own business, the Bernard J. Archer Funeral Home, which he actively ran until he was 95. At age 94, he was recognized as the oldest practicing mortician in the state of Pennsylvania. Bernard was a member of the National, Pennsylvania, and Quaker City Funeral Director Associations. Earlier in his career, he worked at the US Veterans Administration and rode the rails between Philadelphia, Norfolk, New York, and Pittsburgh as a US Railway Mail Clerk. Bernard was a man of strong faith. Formerly a member of Lombard Central Presbyterian Church, he was a member of Morris Chapel Baptist Church since 1983 and a life-long member of the Mt. Olive Holy Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Gilliam, and his former wife, Patricia Keiser. He is survived by his daughter, Jyl Antonia Archer Dupont, of Edgewater, MD; his four grandchildren and their spouses, Christian and Silvia Dupont, Patricia Deon Gill, Vernon Joseph Gill and Michael Biddinger, and Katherine and Joshua Andrews; and five great-grandchildren, Marta, Lawrence, Zeke, Aaliyah, and Vann. In honor of Bernard’s wishes, his family held a private celebration of his life on Sunday May 17, 2015. In recognition of his great love of animals throughout his life, memorial contributions may be made to the Pennsylvania SPCA (www.pspca.org). Please visit the on-line guest book by using the link to the left.