Dan 'D.I' Bernie, Longtime Town of Moraga Staffer, Passes Away

One of the Town of Moraga’s best-known longtime employees, Dan “D.I.” Bernie, passed away April 22 at age 62, two months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. A memorial service will be planned after the COVID-19 pandemic.

D.I. worked 35 years for the Town of Moraga, including his final 29 years as Superintendent of Parks and Public Works. He oversaw the maintenance of all public buildings, including the town offices, the public library, and the historic Hacienda de las Flores. Major projects during his career included the expansion of Moraga Commons and Rancho Laguna parks, extensive renovations at the Hacienda, and the creation of two town corporation yards.

Day to day, D.I. cared for Moraga’s 55 miles of publicly maintained streets, 440 acres of parkland, road median landscaping, street sign replacements, the water quality system, and the stormwater drainage system. He was a champion of integrated pest management, leading the town to adopt nontoxic weed eradication policies years before many other municipalities took the same action. Nearly 250 redwood trees were planted throughout the town during his career.

D.I. started working for the Town of Moraga in 1979, only five years after the town had incorporated. He was placed into a supervisorial role the next year, and he took over as the department head in 1985. Three times, he orchestrated location changes for the town staff – from the original Rheem Valley office, to the Hacienda, and to the new town hall building.

Using the leadership and communication skills he learned in the Marines, D.I. served as a mentor to countless people, including those with cognitive challenges. He created a work program in which juvenile offenders could offset minor penalties by working on his crew. Town leaders knew Dan as a passionate public servant who prioritized the personal growth of his staff and the quality of delivered service. He ran his department until he retired in December 2014.

Daniel Ignatius Bernie was born July 9, 1957, in San Francisco to Francis “Whitey” and Theresa Bernie. The family moved to Daly City when Dan was young, and he attended Holy Angels School through eighth grade. On many occasions, he spent time in Sister Helen’s office and got his hand slapped with a ruler.

By then a family of nine (D.I. was sibling No. 4), the Bernies moved to Moraga in the 1970s. Dan attended Campolindo High School and competed on the diving team. He graduated a year early, in 1974, and joined the U.S. Marines. During a five-year stint, his duties took him to San Diego, Hawaii, and Alaska, he finished his service working at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Upon his honorable discharge as sergeant and expert marksman, he became known as D.I. – his initials but also military slang for drill instructor. He moved back to the Burton Valley area of Lafayette, only about two miles from his family’s Moraga home.

When the 49ers became a powerhouse NFL team, D.I. was thrilled to have a brother-in-law, Bronco Hinek, as the team’s equipment manager. D.I. and his brothers were often recruited to raise and lower the kicking nets during home games at Candlestick Park, and D.I. traveled to Super Bowls and Pro Bowls with Bronco.

Being out in nature was soothing for D.I. both at work and at play. He was obsessed about being in the mountains. As a teen, he once hitchhiked to Lake Tahoe and backpacked for month in Desolation Valley. He deeply loved backpacking, hiking, kayaking, hunting, and fishing with friends and family. Whitefish, Montana, was his favorite place. Seeing Moraga residents enjoying the local parks brought him great joy. He was particularly proud of how many local families loved to spend time at the Commons, not only for special celebrations like the Fourth of July but every day of the week.

D.I. is survived by brothers Kevin, Gary, Bob, and Steve, sister Anne, and sister-in-law Natazha. D.I. was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Trisha. He was a wonderful uncle to Caitlin, Charlie, Mac, Maddie, Ellen, Jamie, Luke, Quinn, and Sasha, and great-uncle to Kinsale, Keeneland, Sabi, Audrey, Evelyn, and Declan. They all will remember their uncle passing out silver dollars, taking them out for meals, teaching them to fish and shoot, and relaxing with them at Lake Tahoe and Camp Mather.

The Bernie family extends special thanks to Pat and Mary Ann Ebert of Walnut Creek and Jim McCarty and Betsy Kimmel of Lafayette for providing loving care during D.I.’s illness.

The family requests are that no flowers or donations be sent, only prayers, and do something good for someone in D.I.’s honor.