Waunakee Rotarians learned more about one of the newer members, Bernard “Bernie” Kennedy, as he gave his classification talk at the June 25 meeting. 

Bernie is the fourth born of 11 children in his family and was encouraged by his three siblings, David, Bill and Tom to join the club. 

He spent his first 16 years milking cows, attending Mary of the Lake Church and playing sports with his siblings. 

After graduating from Waunakee High School in 1967, Bernie attended UW-Madison. He met his future wife while working at UW Hospital. Rotarians who could not attend the meeting missed Bernie’s priceless reenactment of the cigarette-smoking hospital worker who let him know that Terry was also interested in him. 

Bernie described his medical training that began in full when he was drafted and trained as a medic in the military in the early 1970s. 

He finished his service in 1974 and then attended the Duke University physicians assistant program, eventually working in vascular and cardiovascular surgery  at Kettering Hospital in Dayton and then later at the University of Utah, then at Knoxville and finally back in Madison at St. Mary’s. 

He and Terry had four children along the way. 

Bernie had the chance to see a number of firsts in medicine, such as the first heart transplants. 

Back in Waunakee, he also was able to coach middle school girls basketball and was elected to the Waunakee school board in 1992, also serving as president. 

Bernie retired in 2019 and at that time, had physician assistant cardiovascular surgery licenses in Iowa, Idaho, Illinois and Wisconsin. 

Though he’s no longer a surgical assistant, he is still quite active.

“Terry and I are so busy, I wouldn’t have time to work anymore,” Bernie said. 

 

Other news

• Another newer Rotarian, June Ganser, has completed all of the requirements to earn her blue badge. Congratulations, June!

• The date for the Midnight Splash boat ride will be Aug. 4. It turns out, the National Night Out event is Aug. 5, so there is no conflict with the dates. 

• Rotarians were reminded to return the donation forms for the arch project at Village Park. Contributions can count toward Paull Harris awards. So far, $109,000 has been raised toward that $135,000 project. 

 

Coming Up

July 4: WaunaBoom

July 8: Waunakee Senior Picnic.

Aug. 4: Boat tour rain date make-up. 

Greeters: July 2, David Rupp and Veronica Castillo; July 9, Phil Willems and John Cullen; July 16, Shelley Moffatt and Mick Holm; July 23, David Rupp and Bernie Kennedy. 

 

To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/