Bernard Jones Bingham Jr., 87, of De Soto died April 4, 2020. Mr. Bingham was born May 11, 1932, the son of the late Olivia (Rogers) and Bernard J. Bingham Sr. He graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1949 from Douglass High School in Festus and attended Lincoln University, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, then transferred to Wayne University in Michigan in 1950. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951 and was trained as a control tower operator, eventually transferring to Fort Worth, Texas, to train other air traffic controllers. He was honorably discharged and returned to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries in early 1954.
Mr. Bingham worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as an air route traffic controller from 1954 to 1969, working in St. Louis and Chicago. He returned to PPG as a statistical quality control technician. In 1974 he joined the Columbia Fire Department, retiring in 1994 as captain, and moved back to De Soto in 2001.
Mr. Bingham threw shot put and played basketball in high school, and later enjoyed playing golf, watching sports and cooking. His greatest love was woodworking, especially clocks, and he made a handcrafted clock each year to be auctioned at the annual Black History Month celebration in Festus. He was awarded the 2011 Drum Major award for his contribution to the community. He accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized in 2003 at First Church of God in De Soto.
He is survived by his wife: Nancy Bingham; two sisters: Lavada (Earl) Brown and Regina (Ronald) Herrington; four children: Lynn (Keith) Johnson, Bernard J. (Kathrine) Bingham III, Chastity Brillhante and Daniel (Loren) Vandergriff; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his first wife: Lois (Kelly) Bingham; and one daughter: Rosalind.
Burial was in the National Cemetery at Jefferson Barracks. Memorials may be made to the BackStoppers. Arrangements were under the direction of Mahn Twin City Chapel in Festus.