Stephen F. Bernard (1947 - 2009)

I'm heartbroken to report that my father, the founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips, Chatham Village Foods and Late July's co-founder, died Saturday morning.  Thank you for your kindness and for taking time to share stories about how he touched your lives.  His legacy will live on in all the food products he created and everyone at Late July will work hard every day to honor that legacy.  As a final tribute, you will find an illustration of him on the front of our new cookies spending time with my mother, his dog and his grandsons. 

 

Steve Bernard

Founder of Cape Cod Potato Chips & Legendary Entrepreneur

Steve Bernard, a man who lived life to its absolute fullest and was never told what to do, died peacefully looking into the eyes of his lifelong sweetheart during the sunrise of Saturday morning, March 7^th, 2009.  He was 61.

 

A tireless hard-worker who would never give up on anyone or anything.  A champion of the underdog, the Briard dog and the hair of the dog.  A competitive, compassionate, contrarian.  A food lover, a wine lover, and an organic gardener.  A family man who loved running, golfing, gambling, Notre Dame football, and a good game of mini golf with his grandsons.  A fearless, incredibly humble, force-of-nature of a man who could only be stopped by terminal cancer.

 

Steve Bernard’s most famous accomplishment is how he revolutionized the food industry and inspired thousands of other small businesses when he founded Cape Cod Potato Chips in 1980.  His first of three successful food businesses that he founded.  He was an entirely self-made man who lived a life with no regrets, and was only sorry that he won’t be around to take his beloved grandsons fly-fishing and golfing.

 

Born on August 25, 1947 in Concord, New Hampshire the youngest of five to Sergius and Mary, he was a rebellious, independent spirit from an early age proudly standing up many a larger football player on the field or bully on the playground.  After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Economics in 1969 he set out with his friend on an adventure that would last several years.  Hitchhiking across the country, they fought forest fires in Alaska, sailed from New England to the Turks & Caicos, lived in a pipe in Puerto Rico, raised chickens on a farm, and worked on a tuna fishing boat off New Bedford, MA.

After returning to Cape Cod in 1971, he reconnected with the love of his life Lynn, who he met years before at the Newport Folk Festival, and they decided to get married.  It was Lynn who introduced Steve to the natural food business when she opened her health food store in 1978.  They weathered many storms together and he would be the first to say that she was his lighthouse until the very end.

On July 4, 1980 with absolutely no knowledge of how to make potato chips, he opened the doors of Cape Cod Potato Chips.  That winter he nearly lost it all when a motorist drove through the front window of the small factory barely missing his wife and 8-year-old daughter. But because of the publicity and the insurance money the business began taking off and by the next summer, there were lines out the door.  Over the next few years, the company grew to national distribution.  Along the way, Steve has helped countless others get their start, including many people who would later become competitors.  He loved to give tours of the factory and took great pride in helping other entrepreneurs.

 

He eventually sold Cape Cod Potato Chips to Anheuser-Busch, bought it back and subsequently sold it again to Lance in 1999.  In between, he opened a sandwich shop in 1988, which led to the founding of Chatham Village Foods in 1990.  Chatham Village made gourmet croutons and also gained international distribution.

By 1999, he had sold Cape Cod Potato Chips and Chatham Village Foods and retired to Sanibel Island, Florida.  In 2001, his only child and much-adored protégé, Nicole lured him out of his hard-earned retirement to co-found Late July Organic Snacks.  They officially opened their doors in 2003 and worked side by side, often with his grandchildren crawling between them, until his passing.  He viewed Late July as his last, great business contribution and was pleased that it allowed him to pass his knowledge to his daughter.

He was extremely proud of the many food products he created, but his favorite remained the original, lightly salted kettle-cooked potato chip.  He was ever the perfectionist when it came to his products and nothing bothered him more in life than when his product didn’t come out just right.  A plant manager’s worst nightmare, but a customer’s best friend.

 

Survivors include his wife of 37 years Lynn, his daughter Nicole and son-in-law Peter,  hisgrandsons Stephen and Benjamin, his brothers Sergius, Jude and Jimmy, his sister Virginia, his sisters-in-law Darby, Gretchen, Diane, Nancy, Nilda, and  Sharon, his brothers-in-law L.J., Kenneth, Damien and Peter, his mother-in-law Theresa, his nieces and nephews, his many lifelong friends and his four Briards.  His parents, Sergius and Mary, his father-in-law Leni and his beloved dog Benny preceded him in death.

 

In lieu of flowers, it was his desire that you make a donation to the Jimmy Fund (www.jimmyfund.org), his favorite charity, and that you go out and make a sizable purchase from your favorite small food business.  The wake will be held Friday, March 13th  from 4-8pm at the John Lawrence Funeral Home in Marstons Mills, MA and a celebration of his life will be held Saturday, March 14th at 10am at the Cotuit Federated Church.

Comments

[Karen Anne]

I'm very sorry about your Dad.

[isabel]

Sorry to hear about his passing. I have loved all the products he developed, including the ones I had been eating and didn't know he was involved in.
I think I will have a Cape Cod & Late July lunch today.

[Dr. Edwin Denton]

I first met your Dad when I interviewed him for a reading teacher in Bridgewater,MA. He proved to be an exceptional teacher and poupular with the children. He was young but you just knew he was special. In my thirty two years as a school superintent in Massachsetts and California he always remained in my memory. He taught brifly in the educational system but gave the lessons of life until his last sunrise with his wife Lynn.

[kacee]

i am so sorry for your loss. he was clearly a much beloved man.

his (and your) products have been a permanent fixture in my home for many years. the tribute you posted to your dad will have a permanent spot in my heart forever.

[Lisa Van Horn]

Nicole,
I just read the news of your father's passing..I saw the headline and as the web page was loading ..I thought God I hope it's not Steve. I worked for your father for 3 and a half years for Chatham Village in California. I loved your father...I got up and went to work everyday because of his spirit. I came out to the office/plant one time with a new woman your father and I interviewed and he hired. Your parents took us out to dinner had us stay at their house. Your parents are great people. Please send my condolences to your mother.I will never forget him... my email address is croutonldy@... because that's what everyone called me at my stores all day. :) I would love to have a package of your tribute cookies.
Lisa

[Anita Gilday]

I did not know your father personally but he was a lifelong friend of my brother in law, Deanne Wiggin. I did meet him briefly when he came to my father in law's (Kathryn's) funeral almost 24 years ago. I can tell you from that alone, I could tell he was a selfless man who put everyone else above himself. God bless him...he leaves a wonderful legacy for you and your sons

[Connie Lauerman]

Dear Nicole, My deepest condolences to you, your mother and all your family.
I was acquainted with your Dad during my senior year at St. Mary's College/Notre Dame, and have always remembered him for his kindness, good humor, integrity and sense of fun. I wish he were not gone.

[Sarah]

So sorry about your dad, Nicole. He sounds like a wonderful man, and you will obviously miss him tremendously. But of course, his spirit lives on in you, and your success is a lasting tribute to his.

[Marlene Affeld]

My deep and heartfelt condolences on your loss. Thank you for sharing the moving tribute to your father.

[Angelea]

What a beautiful tribute!

I also work with my father (and Mom and husband) and am so thankful for the chance to be together every day.

[Leonard Ingrande]

I had reasons to google your Dad today trying to get an address, only to read about his passing. I first want to extend my condolences to you and your mother. I first meet your Dad about forty years ago when he applied and became an employee of ours fishing on a tuna boat fishing in Cape Cod Bay while working his way through college. I did meet up with again about twenty years later, he came by one day to thank us for the opportunity to work during school vacations and helping put him through college.

My son in law came by today with some old pictures of the boats and your Dad is with the crew, when i seen the picture I wanted your Dad to have a copy, and this was the reason I google his name today, I will send you some copies if someone could send me an address later in the future. Again my deepest sympathy.