Bernard Dean Cleer, 46, of Vermont, died at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, 1985, in William F. Bowld Medical Center at Memphis, Tenn.Bernard Dean Cleer, 46, of Vermont, died at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 17, 1985, in William F. Bowld Medical Center at Memphis, Tenn.
He was born Aug. 31, 1938, in Isabel Township, Fulton County, a son of Arlie and Frances Weber Cleer. He married Jan Reid on July 1, 1972, in Vermont. She survives.
Also surviving are three children, Brial, 10, Ryan, 7, and Kylie, 4, of Vermont; four children from a previous marriage, Colin of Greenville, S.C., Brendon of Pekin, Tristan of Williamsfield, and Mrs. Tayna Bycrost of Williamsfield; his parents of rural Lewistown; one granddaughter; two brothers, Richard Cleer of Ipava and Donald Cleer of Urbana; two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Ann Stewart of Pekin and Mrs. Susan Wurster of Canton.
He was a carpenter and contractor before becoming ill. He was a member of the Vermont Christian Church, Carpenters Union 644 of Pekin, and Vermont Lodge No. 116, AF&AM.
Cleer received a liver transplant in July of 1984 at the University of Tennessee’s Medical Center. He was re-admitted to the Tennessee Hospital on Jan. 21 for his second evaluation at which time complications were discovered.
Suffering from primary sclerosing cholangitis for nearly five years, Cleer was suffering side effects from the liver transplant when he returned home over the Christmas holidays. He had been under medication since the transplant, the new liver never working as expected. He had waited more than two years for the transplant, which was made possible by community fundraisers and a change in policy coverage by Blue Cross-Blue Shield.
Cleer was originally approved for a transplant in 1982 while at the University Presbyterian Hospital at Pittsburgh, Penn. After a two-year wait at the Pittsburgh hospital he was told by doctors there that he was not a good candidate for the transplant because of previous surgeries.
He then went to the Memphis hospital where a compatible donor was found and the transplant was performed.
An autopsy is scheduled to be performed to determine the cause of death.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Vermont Christian Church with Rev. Tim Gilliland officiating. Burial will be in the Vermont Cemetery.
Masonic services were held at Kost Memorial Home on Tuesday evening.
Memorials may be made to the Brial, Ryan and Kylie Cleer children trust fund.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus