Bernard Lane Elias
December 20, 1918 ~ August 13, 2010
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Bernard Lane Elias, 91, of Asheville, died on Aug. 13th.
He was a graduate of Duke University and served in the US Navy as a Photographic Officer. Bernard was a charter member of the Sierra Club, the Carolina Mountain Club and the Western North Carolina Group. He was an avid hiker, professional photographer and educational film maker. He was an expert on Southern Appalachian trails and his greatest accomplishment was his map entitled "The 100 Favorite Trails of the Great Smokies and Carolina Blue Ridge" which he updated 13 times.
He is survived by 11 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church on Monday, August 30th at 2:00. The family will receive friends following the service in Tuton Hall.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Carolina Mountain Club or the Boy Scouts of America or to Trinity Church in honor of Boy Scout Troop #11.
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Asheville will not be the same without Bernie. His love of our mountains and her beauty was such a high priority for this gentleman. For years, Bernie was one of those unique characters that made Asheville so different and appreciated. He was a Sierra Club member before there was a Sierra Club. He was never too busy to stop and chat about his latest adventures into the mountains because he was a mountain child, loving and honoring the beauty of life and those around him. Best of travels, friend, for wherever you go, it will be a new adventure of excitement for you…a man who loved Asheville and her mountains more than anyone I’ve ever known. Go now and explore the vastness of your next place. Goodbye.
I am sorry to hear of Bernie’s passing. I met Bernie through Scouting. He was a true gentleman. A great deal of young people were touched by Bernie.
My Uncle Bernard was a moving inspiration in my life. Always giving of himself, he spent many hours taking us on hikes and tours of western NC. Due to his influence BOY SCOUTING and its principles, became a decisive factor and moral compass in my life! he will be greatly missed, and cherished always!!!
You could talk to Bernie for three hours, and at the end of those three hours he knew everything there was to know about you, but you would likely know next to nothing about him. Bernie didn’t talk much about himself or his great deeds and accomplishments; he preferred to let us do that. The remarkable thing is that as we prattled about ourselves he would actually listen and remember what we said!
A gentleman, good friend and hiking buddy, we miss him.
When I was one year old, my family moved onto White Oak Road, several houses down from Bernard. My brothers and I didn’t have a father present, and ‘Nard quickly became the most stable, consistent, loyal, and loving male figure in our lives. A couple years later he became my Godfather, and he took that responsibility to heart – guiding me to Trinity and encouraging me to be an acolyte. He took us hiking almost every Saturday, he never forgot a birthday or Christmas, and he was at every monumental event, snapping pictures at every opportunity. He spent Christmases and Thanksgivings with us and truly became a part of our family. With his trademark red felt hat, his beautiful bushy eyebrows, his high cheekbones and sweet, innocent eyes, I miss him terribly already. He was a man full of childlike wonder and a spirit full to the brim of a love of life.
Asheville has lost one its greatest.
He sure did love taking those pictures! Especially of the mountains, We will sure miss him not coming in anymore at Tip Top Photo Center. We will be praying for the family.
swannanoa cleaners has lost a great friend we will miss seeing that red hat coming across the parking lot.we dident have to look twice we knew who it was,and you better be ready to talk.he was my buddy.i’m going to miss him.
I’ve been involved in photography since I was a kid (I shot the picture of Bernie shown here in his obituary) and was in the Navy with him. He was one truly great Guy and a ‘Gentleman’ in every sense of the word. I’m afraid there’ll never be any other fellow of his calibre in today’s world. Happy trails, Bernie!
The Asheville community and especially the Scouting brotherhood has lost an icon. I remember Bernie from my days working at Camp Daniel Boone and from my time as lodge chief of Tsali Lodge, Order of the Arrow. Bernie was a role model to many young scouts and left a lasting impression on my life. I remember him fondly and mourn his passing.
Well done, thou good and faithful servant!
I met Bernard more than half a century ago, when I was a six-year-old going on a Carolina Mountain Club hike with my parents, siblings, and grandfather. He was one of those rare people who was able to imbue others with a love for hiking, scouting, and other activities not by proselytizing but by his own sheer enthusiasms. For the past 15 years he was one of the advisers of the Helen Tarasov Reed Memorial Fund at The Community Foundation of WNC, and his guidance was always valuable in making sure that grants went to worthy environmental causes.
He will be missed.
I first met Bernie when I was a young woman working at Ball Photo; I was in between colleges and just trying to figure out what to do with my life and where to go. He quickly became a friend to me (and my mom), oten taking me on hikes or out to eat at one of his favorite restaurants, the Picadilly Cafeteria in the Asheville mall!
I remember Bernie for his love of hiking and the NC mountains, his love of travel and love of photography. He was at my wedding back in 1994 and actually took my favorite photo of me and my husband.
Additionally, I remember Bernie loved the circus; we went to the circus together in Asheville, and when I married, and my husband and I moved to Charlotte, Bernie gave us tickets to see the circus there as well. Unnfortunately, that was the last contact that I had with him as time and distance often just have a way of putting an end to friendships.
Bernie was a kind and generous person; it was by mere conincidence that I learned of his passing today, and I am very saddened by the news. He was a very unique and interesting person, and I am sure he has had a profound impact on WNC and will be missed.
We all new him at Ingles because of his red hat very nice man. Sorry to here we won’t be seeing him any more.He will be missed.
We will always remember Bernard for his red hat, and being one of the most knowledgable people about trails in the western North Carolina Mountains. He will be missed!
im am very sorry my reserch has bought me this i have his discarge papers from the navy and have been seeing how much he accomplished in his life
My name is Anthony Myers I have Bernard lane Elias’ s us navy records and paper work from 1940’s and 50’s and if any of the family of Bernard wants to have them to remember him by I would love to offer them to you I bought all the paperwork at a thrift shop and I know that any living family would love to keep them for his remembrance contact me at 864 420 8067