- Date Of Birth: September 6, 1923
- Date Of Death: February 17, 2022
- State: Colorado
With heavy hearts, we are announcing the passing of Bernard Joseph Chiaro on February 17, 2022. Bernard was born to Elizabeth Lippis and Dominic Chiaro on September 6, 1923.
Our father had moved to GiGi Gentle Care Home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was well taken care of by them for 6 months. He had an aortic aneurism that had been repaired several years ago. In 2014 it started to leak and were told he was too old to operate, so we waited. He began going downhill on February 10, 2022. I had taken him to the VA on the 9th to get his hearing aids cleaned and he was much weaker than the week before. On the 15th the call came that he was taken to the hospital with bad pain in his right side. The aneurism was swelling. After he came home with hospice, they kept him comfortable until he passed away at 4:05 p.m., February 17, 2022.
He grew up on a farm in Brewster, Colorado, and went to school at the Abbey. After graduating, he went on to work in the mines. When World War II started, he served on the “Maryland” and had many engagements. After the war, he met and married Neva (Bate) Chiaro (who passed away in 2000 after battling cancer) and moved back to Portland, Colorado, where they lived, and he worked for 38 years.
He loved farming in his yard, fishing, camping, and being with his family. He was never happier than when we were all together! He’d say, “I’m responsible for all these people!!” Yep, you were!!
Uncle Rocky could remember when he was 5 years old, Bern would have been 11 years old… he’d run us all out of the house to go play so he could clean it. I remember one time he baked a cake, it probably tasted better than it looked. When he was 14 years old, he taught him how to dance, probably the JitterBug… he loved to dance. He showed him how to hold the doorknob and practice swing dancing.
I, Katherine, remember when I was young, he’d share his nuts in the shell, cracking them so I could eat them. Same with fruit, he’d peel the oranges for me.
Jacque could remember when he’d put her in his lap and read the Sunday funnies.
Mark can remember when after Mass he’d take us to the Shanty. We’d all get Shirley Temples, while Mark had a Roy Rogers.
Geni remembers when he had the credit union office of Ideal Cement in the basement, she enjoyed watching him write with the plum feather pen. He had beautiful handwriting.
I, Katherine, also remember how we would play out on the front lawn on a blanket, which had one brown corner where the horse was. But we had to put the blanket away before Dad got home because we weren’t supposed to play on the lawn.
Bernard is survived by his siblings, Rocco (Gloria) Chiaro, Patricia Conci (Richard), and Beverly Chiaro; children, Katherine (Doug) Robinson, Jacque (Merritt) LeBlanc, Mark (Janice) Chiaro, and Geni Grant; grandchildren, Dean (Holly) Robinson, Olivia Uhland, Marylynn Robinson, Lorinda (Shane) Martinez, Opal (Pat) Griffin, Mendi Robirds, Brannon (Jody) Davis, Robin (Brad) DeWitt, Christopher Chiaro, Seth (Lillian) Chiaro, Kyrie Chiaro, Thad (Pam) Grant, Tandie (Dane) Grant, and Timmy (Jolene) Grant; great-grandchildren, Amber Wilmont, Parker (Quinten) King, Amilia Warembourg, Danyell Hebberd, Callie Hebberd (Zack), Austin Robirds, Ceri Robirds, Cooper DeWitt, Jordan Davis, Bryeen Davis, Katie LeBlanc, Rollin (Becky) LeBlanc, Angelia (Christopher) Near, Deia Grahm, Cryden Chiaro, Bryan Chiaro, Jayson Chiaro, Elicia Grant, Deric Grant, Sophia Grant, Seamus Grant, Ryley Grant, Celeste Grant (Nodan Gryp), and Rory Lewis; great-great-grandchildren, Shyann Wilmont, Henry King, Tyler Hebberd, Lucas Hebberd, Kelseigh Hebberd, Tanner Hebberd, Music LeBlanc, Shaylyn LeBlanc, Marcus LeBlanc, Cayden Chiaro, Bryon Chiaro, Jayson Chiaro, Gage Near, Colin Near, Timothy Issic, and Ashton Grahm; and great-great-great-grandchild, Shophia LeBlanc.
He is preceded in death by his sister, Betty (Art) Lazzerini; brothers, Dominic Chiaro and Gerard Chiaro; brother-in-law, Hank Conci; grandson, Dale Robinson; and great-grandson, Tyler Giles.
