William Alistair Bernard, 30, of Leesburg, Florida, formerly of Oak Park, died on Aug. 9, 2026 after a tragic motorcycle accident. Raised in Oak Park, he later moved to Tennessee, and eventually central Florida.
From a very young age, he had a keen sense of adventure and curiosity, and possessed an extraordinary ability to put things together. At the age of 8, he replaced the water filter in his grandmother’s kitchen, with no assistance. He was active in Boy Scouts and loved monthly camping trips. Much to his family’s dismay, the Boys Scouts gave his fertile mind more ideas for getting into mischief and blowing things up. As a teenager, he could be found in his clubhouse, working for hours on his motorized bicycle, fixing a lawnmower or making a potato gun. There was more than one accidental fire in that clubhouse, but always being prepared, the fire extinguisher was handy. He largely taught himself how to weld metal in the backyard.
Known for his quick wit and sense of fun, he lived life with enthusiasm. He was an avid gun collector and enjoyed target practice, karaoke, fishing, and derived great satisfaction from tinkering with anything mechanical, especially cars and motorcycles. His remarkable ability to diagnose and fix complex mechanical problems was a trait shared by his father and stepfather.
Alistair attended both Oak Park and River Forest High School, and East Leyden High School, graduating in 2014. A natural at working with his hands, he embarked on a welding career for 10 years. More recently, he channeled his passion for craftsmanship into kitchen remodeling.
He had a deep Christian faith, sparked by Young Life in High School and was active in Absolution Anglican Church of Leesburg, Florida. He enjoyed political debate, sometimes annoying those on opposite sides, but all was eventually forgiven.
Survivors include his parents, Thomas (Krys) Bernard and Amy (Michael) Hasegawa; his siblings, R. Spencer Bernard, J. Clayton (Jaime) Bernard, and Clara Bernard; his grandparents, George and Shelly Uslenghi; as well as aunts, uncles and cousins.
Memorial services will be forthcoming at Absolution Anglican Church in Leesburg, Florida and First Presbyterian Church of River Forest.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Young Life, and Absolution Anglican Church of Leesburg, Florida.