Packed church mourns father, handyman killed in Longview mill implosion
LONGVIEW - More than 500 people Sunday packed into the Journey Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kelso for a memorial service for Gilberto Bernal, one of 11 workers killed in Tuesday's chemical tank implosion in Longview.
Bernal's memorial came just a day after officials announced the identities of the lost workers, as Longview residents channeled their mourning of Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. workers into fundraisers and meal trains for their families.
Members of Bernal's family and church described him as a loving father and husband, the "ultimate MacGyver" skilled at fixing things, and as a dedicated volunteer to the church where people now gathered to celebrate him.
"He would be right now over the moon to see every seat here filled," Bernal's daughter Geovana Bernal-Ferguson told the crowd.
"He loved being busy, and most of all, he loved doing life alongside my mom, they truly were best friends," she said. "And he also loved the Seahawks."
After reading the names of the other workers lost in the accident, Pastor Jim John relayed stories about Bernal, including how he once fixed John's wife's car, and how Bernal and his wife Maria loved to drive to Yakima each summer to get produce to bring back to can for winter.
"Peaches, plum jams, apricot jams, spicy relish, apple butter, apple pie filling, chilies, tomatoes and their famous salsa," John said, adding: "Gilbert worked behind the scenes, handling all the sealing and filling of the jars, handling the proper temperature everything needed to be."
In the audience were Republican state Senate Minority Leader John Braun and Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, both of whom represent Longview. Among the audience members standing to tell stories about Bernal was Crystal Wilson, the wife of Robert Wilson, another worker lost in the blast.
Bernal gave rides to her children when she needed help, Wilson said, and played matchmaker by trying to set up Crystal and Robert before they began dating.
"He played a special part in our lives," she said.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help support Bernal's family.
Sunday's memorial was only one of the events this weekend that began the grieving over the lost workers.
As evening chilled the air Saturday evening, dozens of people gathered for a vigil at the edge of the Nippon Dynawave facility. Those who attended heard remarks by members from two of the families who lost workers, one of whom talked about the need for safety at the mill, and the need to figure out what led to the tank failure.
The names of the lost workers were read out loud. The mechanical steam engine monument where the vigil was held became the place to lay flowers and signs.
Beginning this week, free support groups will be available for anyone affected by the accident by Columbia Wellness, a nonprofit community mental health agency.
The group meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the organization's Longview offices on 14th Avenue.
Now that all 11 workers have been recovered from the accident, attention will also turn to investigating the tank failure.
On Saturday, the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, the union representing employees at the mill, it would ensure "there is a complete, thorough and uncompromising investigation into what caused this tragedy."
"The families, workers and community deserve answers," the union said.
The investigation will need to preserve the integrity of the site, the union continued, and should provide a "full understanding of the factors that contributed to this incident."
Seattle Times staff reporter Lauren Rosenblatt contributed to this story.
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