Walter Bernard Fleming Jr.

Published 12:00 am Sunday, August 14, 2022

Walter “Bern” Bernard Fleming Jr., passed away peacefully at Austin’s Christopher House on July 14, 2022, at the age of 60 from cancer. 

Celebration of life services to honor Bern will be hosted at 10 a.m. in New Iberia on September 17, 2022, with a flotilla of canoes and kayaks along the bank of Bayou Teche in City Park at the Tear Drop near the dog park.

Bern was born in New Orleans, grew up in New Iberia and was a resident of Austin, Texas for decades.

Bern was a graduate of Catholic High School, New Iberia, (1979), USL (Electrical Engineering, 1983), Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio (MA in Theology, 1990) and the University of Texas (MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, 1998).  

Bern applied the same type of precision which compelled him to excel in math and engineering to provide psychotherapy to improve the lives of adolescents, individuals, couples and families. Bern was deeply connected to water and paddled his way to bliss in canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. He greatly enjoyed being a member of Toastmasters and strumming his guitar among friends.

He is survived by his sister Theresa Tompkins of Friendswood, Texas; brothers David (Bridget) Fleming of New Iberia and Shawn (Andrea) Fleming of Addis; and nieces and nephews Philip Tompkins, Helen (Carl) Tompkins Samaniego, David Ryan and Blake, Desmond, Neal and Amelie Fleming.

He was preceded in death by his parents Walter B. Fleming Sr. and Joy Fleming. 

Bern’s final gift was donating his body to the University of Texas Medical School for research and education.   

Special thank you to Lori and Kyle Green of Always Best Care, to the nurses and doctors of Hospice Austin and Christopher House.