GILBERT “RED” BERNAL
10/28/1934 - 03/16/2023
Gilbert “Red” Bernal was born on October 28, 1934, in Austin Texas. After a short illness, he went to be with God on March 16, 2023. His parents, who pre-deceased him, were Toribio/Joe and Francisca Bernal. His brothers Bennie, Alex, Robert, Charles, and Richard, as well as his sister Mary predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Linda Dumas Bernal, who joined him in making their years together as wonderful as possible, his brother Donald, and his sons Darryn and his wife Kimberly, Steve, and Eric and his wife Erin, his stepson John Dumas and his wife Kristin, and his stepdaughter Julie Dumas Blettner and her husband Doug. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Nick Bernal and his wife Megan, Samantha Bernal, Derek Bernal and his wife Kaitlyn, Dara Bernal Macon and her husband Jake, Danyelle Bernal, Darryn M. Bernal, Tanner Bernal, as well as Sarah and Amanda Blettner. He leaves great-grandchildren Thomas, Claire, Dayton, Brynn, and Kamryn. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Sue Bernal and a host of nephews and nieces that he loved. Red was bi-lingual, having grown up with Hispanic roots. His parents worked hard and reared successful children in their Austin home. This cultural and language facility was very handy in a multicultural city when he moved to Houston, not to mention when travels took family and friends to Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean.
Red had a great zest for life and was happiest when fishing in the lake or cooking his famous barbecue. He loved boating and being on the water. Linda joked that he had a collection of barbecue pits. He loved the outdoors and taught his boys to do so, as well.
He was born and reared in Austin where he attended school. He talked about the distance from his house on Harvey Street to the school— and of wearing “little yellow slickers” when it rained. He was a gifted athlete who set records in junior high school and was a football star at Austin High School. Many newspaper write-ups, saved by his niece, refer to “Bernal and the Boys” and their triumphs on the gridiron. He received a football scholarship to Victoria Junior College. He participated in softball into his fifties. Having a natural gift for friendship, Red was still in contact with friends from those school days. He loved the University of Texas Longhorns and cheered them enthusiastically. He was a born musician and enjoyed playing the guitar and singing. He adored Mariachi music as well as country tunes. He spoke of directing the Boy’s Chorus when the teacher had to step out of the room.
When he moved to Kingwood to begin a thirtysix-year marriage with Linda Dumas (Bernal), he fit in smoothly at church, with Supper Club, and with many friends he gathered in the community from the car wash to the country club. He loved the new friends he met in Supper Club and formed a close unit with them. He, Darryal, and I D, with Connie, Judy and Linda, went on many interesting? adventures. Of that Super Supper group, he was pre-deceased by Bernie Reuland, Fred Reisbick, Bob Sisson, and I D Neel. He grieved them all. When he and Linda had the house at Lake Livingston, he was in heaven. Friends and relatives enjoyed the wonderful property with the trees and splashing water. He was a wonderful father/Dad, stepfather/Red, grandfather/ Papa or Papa Red, greatgrandfather and Papi to his blood and adopted families and was deeply loved by all of them. He had an amazing sense of humor, a zest for life, and a boundless capacity to love.
He survived heart procedures, cancer, and radiation with courage. He kept a youthful, playful, and loving spirit for all his life. He will be missed by many. Flowers are welcome. Donations to your favorite charity are welcomed as well. Visitation will be at Kingwood Funeral Home, 22800 Hwy 59 N, Kingwood, TX 77339 at 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, March 21 with service to follow at 3:00. Graveside services and interment will be Wednesday, March 22 at 1:00 by Cook-Walden Funeral Home, Pflugerville, Texas 78660, where Red will rest near his parents.