Jessie (Rapoza) Bernier of Dartmouth, formerly of New Bedford, passed away Tuesday February 12, 2013 at the New Bedford Jewish Convalescent Home. She was the wife of Donat "Don" Bernier. In October they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
Jessie was employed by the New Bedford Public School Department as a paraprofessional at the Mount Pleasant School until her retirement. Previous to that she was employed at Cundall's Pharmacy where she was known for her coffee frappes. She loved to knit and would offer knit hats for everyone she knew and donated many to the children at the Schwartz Center for Children. Jessie loved the sunshine and traveling. Her greatest joy was taking her children and grandchildren to Mexico every year.
She is survived by her loving husband Don; her beloved children, Michele (Bernier) Whalen and her husband D.J. of Nashua, NH, Dana Bernier and his wife Cheryl of Dartmouth, and Beth (Bernier) Kilanowich and her husband Wayne of New Bedford; her loving siblings, Mary Vieira of Dartmouth and Leonard Rapoza of Stoughton; her beloved grandchildren, Jennifer Whalen Turner, Patrick Whalen, Ryan and Kyle Bernier, and Graham and Logan Kilanowich; her beloved great-granddaughter, Julianne Elizabeth Turner; and nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Hilda Sylvia, Olivia, Antone, Augustus, Edward, Manuel, and Joseph Rapoza.
Her family wold like to thank the staff at the New Bedford Jewish Convalescent Home for their care and compassion.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 10 AM at St. Mary's Church, South Dartmouth. Burial will follow in Rural Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Friday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Schwartz Center for Children, One Posa Place, Dartmouth, MA 02747 or the New Bedford Jewish Convalescent Home, 200 Hawthorn St., New Bedford, MA 02740. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.