Aberdeen - Bernard B. Matz, 84, of Aberdeen died Friday, July 27, 2007, at the Aberdeen Health and Rehabilitation Center. It was his express wish that there be no visitation or service. Inurnment of ashes and a gathering of remembrance will be scheduled at a later date. Bernard "Bernie" Berdell Matz was born Dec. 4, 1922, in Aberdeen to George Frederick and Mary Rose (Schneider) Matz. He attended Aberdeen Central High School and upon graduation in 1940 moved to California to work for McDonald Aircraft. When World War II began, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Jan. 13, 1943, and was assigned to the 457th Bomber Group. He served in WWII in the Ardennes Campaign, the Rhineland Campaign and the Central Europe Campaign. He was a flight engineer and crew chief on a B-17 and achieved the rank of an ace gunner. He was honorably discharged Oct. 30, 1945. He served in the 196th Infantry of the Army National Guard until his discharge on May 6, 1955, with the rank of Sgt. 1st Class.

Bernard Matz and Marguerite Rita Dunhom were married on Jan. 24, 1946, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen. He worked with his father in a lumber mill near Cherryville, Ore., from 1947 to 1949, worked as a mechanic at Nash Auto, owned Bud's Conoco and worked at the South Dakota Wheat Growers from 1956 to 1963. In 1963, he worked with his brother-in-law at Bullock Plumbing and Heating until 1965, at which time he began his own business, Matz Saw Sharpening, Repair and Conditioning. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, the Aberdeen Moose Lodge, the Knights of Columbus and the VFW. His pastimes included playing darts, learning to play the banjo, dancing, fishing and hunting. Survivors include children, Blaise Bernard (Betty) of Omaha, Neb., Erick John (Linda) of Arizona, Gretchen Marguerite (Douglas) Mayer of Mansfield, Ivor Frederick (Colleen) of St. Anthony, Minn., Karl Anthony (Sandy) of Mankato, Minn.; brother, Ronald (Phyllis) of Boring, Ore.; and special friend, Lois Retzlaff of Aberdeen. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; sisters Hazel Bernice Macy and Gertrude Bullock; and his youngest daughter, Suzanna Marya Matz. Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory has been entrusted with the arrangements.