Bernard Gunnels

Mr. Bernard R. “Bernie” Gunnels, Jr., 67, passed away May 1, 2014, at Spalding Regional Hospital.

He was born in the Griffin hospital on April 26, 1947, to the late Betty Scruggs Gunnels and Bernard Ray Gunnels, Sr. He graduated from Griffin High School in 1965, where he played varsity football.
He enlisted in the U.S Army in 1966 and served in Germany and at the Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. In 1967, Bernie married his high school sweetheart, Royce Bridges Gunnels.
After his service in the Army, he worked and went to school at night to get his degree from Georgia State College.

In 1976, he went to work for the Federal Aviation Administration. In 1986, he became the manager of the FAA Operation Center at the Regional office in East Point, GA. He also worked as the FEMA Emergency Response coordinator for the Southern Region, where he dealt with hurricanes Hugo, Andrew, and Marilyn. He retired from the FAA in 2005. After his retirement, he taught math at Southern Crescent Technical College and also was a substitute in the Griffin-Spalding County School System. Bernie was a loving husband, father, grandfather, Poppie, brother, uncle and friend to many. He was a lover of animals, including his beloved Sadie.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Royce Bridges Gunnels; three children and their spouses: Darren and Karen Gunnels of Griffin, Blake and Krista Gunnels of Longwood, FL, Susan and Peter Hodgson of Martha’s Vineyard, MA; four grandchildren who were his joy in his later life, Mary Grace, Kathryn Elizabeth (Katie), Jackson Shaw and Jacob Bridges Gunnels. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Bruce and Barbara Gunnels of Griffin; sister and brother-in-law, Debbie and Lewis Goodroad of Griffin; sister-in-law, Judy Bridges Lewis of Hampton; an aunt, Marie Spence; an uncle, Buddy Gunnels and several nieces, nephews and cousins.