Obituary for Dorothy M. Bernardich
DOROTHY M. BERNARDICH
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – Dorothy M. Bernardich, 80, died on April 17, 2012, due to complications from recent hospitalizations over the past two months.
She was the loving wife of 35 years to the late George S. Bernardich, who passed away Aug. 30, 1989.
Born in New Castle, Pa, on Jan. 28, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Anna (Mitchell) Sepelak.
She moved to New Middletown from Youngstown in 1956, with her husband, whom she married on May 22, 1954. She worked as a telephone operator at Bell Telephone, before selflessly becoming a devoted and loving full-time mother and homemaker.
Dorothy moved to Tierra Verde/St. Petersburg in 2009. She initially resided with her son, Georgem and later moved into the Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, where she enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Gulf of Mexico. Reading was one of Dorothy’s favorite pastimes. She also enjoyed spending time with family, writing poetry and short stories and staying updated on the activities of her grandson, Thomas Jr.
She was a long time member of St. Paul the Apostle Church in New Middletown, where she served on the church Alter Guild. She also was a member of the American Croatian Citizens Club of Youngstown and of the Blessed Trinity Church, St. Petersburg.
Dorothy is survived by her son, George III of Tierra Verde, Fla.; a daughter, Dr. Michele Bernardich-Roginsky and her husband, Dr. Thomas J. Roginsky, and grandson Thomas Jr., all of Whitehall, Pa.; and a sister, Anna Marie Sinkovich of Youngstown.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Clarence Sepelak.
The family will receive friends and family from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at St. Paul the Apostle Church in New Middletown, followed by a funeral Mass.
A prayer service and blessing of the grave site will take place immediately afterwards at Green Haven Memorial Gardens in Canfield.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a memorial donation be made in the name of Dorothy M. Bernardich to the church or Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Youngstown at http://ccdoy.org or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research at www.michaeljfox.org