On November 30, 2024, at the age of 76, Dana Arthur Bernor passed away at home in Manchester, New Hampshire after a long hard fought battle with Alzheimer's. He was surrounded by loved ones, who cared for him as he cared for them, with unconditional love. He was a devout Roman Catholic born November 12, 1948 in Gardner, Massachusetts to Elroy Bernor and Grace Kinney. Born with glaucoma, he was raised in foster care, eventually taken in by foster parents Theodore and Ella Bisson. Predeceased by an older foster sister Lorraine, who married Stanley Kire. Survived by Ellen and Kathy, the daughters of Stanley and Lorraine, whom Dana loved very much and they all loved him as one of their own. In this loving environment Dana got a good education and excelled in academics.

He was an honor student and in high school he was a National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist having scored in the top 0.5% in the nation on his SAT’s. He was brought to Washington D.C. to compete in the United States academic scholarship competition and became a finalist, representing only 1% of the initial pool of students. On his trip to the nation's capitol he visited historical sites, just as he did growing up in Massachusetts, and it solidified his love of social studies, including history and politics. Math was his best subject in school and he had earned a scholarship to the prestigious M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Originally majoring in math he would change his major to political science, it was the 1960’s and he was involved in bringing about positive social change for the good of the less fortunate.

Even though he was blind, instead of seeking out charity, he quietly gave his time and resources to charity. As a young man he did volunteer work through the catholic church. He had a great love of instruments and took to them like a fish to water. He could instantly play any instrument he had in his hands and never received any formal training. Dana played with a grace and beauty that would bring many a person to tears over the years.

He recorded Christian folk music in Boston as a young man but he did not seek fame nor fortune with his talent. Instead he donated his gift to God, playing for the local churches he was a part of in the different cities and states he graced with his presence. He played music at churches and prayer meetings all over the Boston area, Providence Rhode Island, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Michigan, the Lowell area (including Chelmsford) Massachusetts, and Nashua New Hampshire.

While living in Boston, Dana met his true love; the one and only love of his life Sandra Jeanne Hannaford. The two met as members of the same church. After a long courtship Dana won over Sandra’s heart and the two wed January 18, 1975.

Sandra, the daughter of Louis and Jeannette Hannaford, has four siblings. Jeffery, Janet, Lisa, and Michael, along with their spouses, welcomed Dana into their family. Louis and Jeannette, as well as their children, made Dana feel very welcome and loved. The two love birds would welcome into the world three sons which they loved dearly, Stephen, Peter, and Joseph. Eventually Dana would become an Uncle to Lauren, Kaitlyn, Amanda, Julia, Sarah, Tyler, Rachael, and Madison.

Dana had a bachelors degree from M.I.T. and did voluntary teaching at the Carroll Center for the blind as well as many other schools, universities and associations for the blind. When the opportunity arose Dana would gladly donate his time to the disabled, teaching young blind children how to read braille among other skills needed to navigate the world. He would also go to schools to teach children about blind people through the Lowell Association for the Blind. He also helped to test products for blind people to help them have the freedom to function in the world with less restrictions.

His love of computers would lead him back to school for a second bachelor's degree, this time from Eastern Michigan University with a major in computer science. As much as he loved computers and music, there was one love above those and that was his love of the Lord.

He never cursed the Lord’s name for his condition. Instead he dedicated his life to his faith in every way he could and went to catholic mass religiously. This love of God is what led him and his wife across the country to a place unfamiliar. And that was Ann Arbor Michigan where they joined the Word of God. They were accepted by the church and had thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ.

He became a computer programmer in 1986 against all odds despite being blind. He did so with one goal in mind and that was to provide for his family. Provide he did as he worked for Creative Solutions Incorporate, never missing a day of work no matter how much pain he suffered due to his glaucoma. He never complained and he did his best to hide his pain from everyone around him. He loved working at C.S.I. and considered it a blessing. He spoke very highly of his co-workers, many of whom became close friends. They made him feel appreciated, respected, and valued. Not only for his hard work and work ethic, it was his positive attitude, charm, and wit that would be met with kindness and laughter.

After working in computers as a programmer for as long as his body would allow him he had to retire from one of his loves, but that allowed him to spend his time with his true love, his wife Sandra. Dana’s youngest son, and caregiver, Joseph would make him a proud grandfather, first with Danielle and then Mary Jeannette. Danielle and Isaiah would eventually make Dana a great-grandfather twice over with the births of Amethyst and Roxas. Having come into this world alone and raised in foster care Dana built a family branch on a tree that accepted him as a member. This was only possible due to the everlasting love of his beloved wife Sandra as together they built a foundation of love that was there for him to the very end of his days and beyond.

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