John Wilson Berninger Sr., 91, of Port Charlotte, Fla., formerly of Pittsburgh, died peacefully Thursday evening in Tidewell Hospice, Sarasota, Fla.

Born in Braddock, March 1, 1917, he was the oldest and last surviving of four siblings born to parents Ira Irvine Sr. and Bertha Bowen Berninger.

John graduated from Swissvale High School in 1935, then went to Keystone Radio Institute until 1937, when he went to work for WWSW Radio. In 1942, he left for Fort Monmouth Signal Laboratory in New Jersey, where he was an engineer for Signal Corp. Equipment. While in Fort Monmouth, he was licensed with the Merchant Marines and the Coast Guard.

In 1947, John returned to Pittsburgh with his wife, M. Patricia "Pat" Wilson, to work once again for WWSW, which became WIIC-Channel 11-NBC. In 1950, he went to work for KDKA until 1955, when he returned to WIIC, now WPXI, as an electronics engineer in charge of equipment maintenance until he retired in 1979.

John and his second wife, Evelyn, moved to Naples, Fla., in 1979 and enjoyed boating, fishing, shelling, being at the beach in the early mornings, growing orchids and having visits from family and friends. In 1992, they moved to Port Charlotte.

Surviving are an adopted daughter, Dottie Berninger of Butler; an adopted son, John W. Berninger Jr. of Evans City; a stepson, Robert Dent and his wife, Patty; and a stepdaughter-in-law, Judy Dent. Also eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews survive.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, M. Patricia Wilson, who died in 1967; his second wife, Evelyn Troutman Dent, who died Feb. 28, 2003; a stepson, Darwin A. Dent; a brother, Ira Irvine Berninger Jr.; and two sisters, Harriet Sigrist and Margaret Cobb.

<B>BERNINGER</B> — Friends of John Wilson Berninger Sr., who died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, will be received from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the <B>McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home</B>, 238 Crowe, Mars. Services will follow at 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Peter deVries, pastor of Old Union Presbyterian Church, officiating. Private burial will be in McKean Memorial Park Cemetery, McKean County.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Tidewell Hospice, Sarasota, FL, or to Parkinson's Research.Information and directions are available at www.mcdonald-aeberli.com.