Edmond (Ed) Joseph Bergeron, 86, formerly of Long Valley, New Jersey, died on Sunday, October 5th of kidney and heart failure at Colebrook Village in Hebron, Connecticut. He was born in Dover, New Hampshire, grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, lived most of his adult life in New Jersey and spent his later years in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ed was married to his wife, Judy, for almost 59 years and had six children. In Springfield, he graduated from Cathedral High School and was active in the Knights of Columbus. Early in his career, Ed worked at Country Club Soda and was later recruited from Nabisco to become a pharmaceutical sales representative for Carnrick Laboratories, Inc., where he rose through the ranks to eventually become, in 1975, President and Chief Executive Officer. Ed served on the board of the American Headache Foundation for 15 years and, in 1999, was honored by the American Cancer Society for charitable contributions.
Ed was both a loner and a family man. He relished quiet and solitude in equal measure with vicariously experiencing his adult children’s (and grandchildren’s) exploits and adventures. Our childhood memories include making homemade pizza and sundaes, hauling firewood, working at Carnrick, laboring in the yard on his various projects, eating post-church breakfasts and ice cream at Friendly’s, and spending weekends skiing in the Poconos. Some of his great loves were his wife Judy, his children and grandchildren, his siblings and extended family, anything related to Christmas, antique furniture and cars, Barbra Streisand, Norman Rockwell prints, and, of course, his long-term love affair with Costco. Eschewing the standard shopping carts, his overflowing platform utility cart was frequently mistaken for a Costco display cart, causing other customers to take his items. Once, while out of town for an extended trip, the local Costco called his office under the pretense of inquiring about his health (in actuality, his absence caused an alarming sales slump). Ed taught us the value of hard work, strong ethics and values, humility, adherence to principles, acknowledgement of those who often go unnoticed, and the honor of menial labor. He was a parishioner and former Eucharistic Minister at Our Lady of the Mountain Church in Long Valley, New Jersey.
Ed was a man with ambitious daily ‘to do’ lists, each realistically requiring a week of effort. He was a keen observer of human nature and saw (and heard) far more than he let on – particularly at family gatherings with new boy/girlfriends who, to their detriment, were unaware of his bionic hearing. Ed was sensitive, with deep feelings and profound thoughts, which he seldom shared unless asked directly. He had a dry sense of humor and a quick wit – with the ability to communicate volumes in a single glance or raised brow. Keenly aware of his shortcomings, he often failed to appreciate his strengths. Ed will be remembered for his unwavering generosity and the joy he found in giving to others. He and Judy funded many nonprofit organizations through the former Michael P. Bergeron Foundation. One of his favorite charities was In Jesus Name Charities (Hoboken, NJ). The founder recently shared memories of Ed donating 200 Thanksgiving turkeys and a truckload of Easter baskets (from Costco, of course). For decades, a sign on the wall of Carnrick’s lobby read: ‘People are Important.’ Ed lived by this simple, yet profound, maxim. Dad, you live on through the lessons you taught us and the many lives that were changed by your presence and your actions. You guided us throughout our lives and we believe you will continue to do so from the other side. You are deeply loved and sorely missed.
Ed is predeceased by his parents, Apollinaire and Blanche (Labbe) Bergeron, his stepmother Jean (Godbout), his grand-nephew Owen Fredette, his grandson Caleb Warren, and his son Michael. He leaves behind his wife Judy (Nissen) Bergeron; his three daughters, Christine Mendez, Diane Bergeron (Matt Warren), and Karen (Mark) Doerflein; his two sons, David Bergeron (Jen Anllo) and Jon (Glenda) Bergeron; his 13 grandchildren Zachary, Sophie, Alexander, Nicholas, Malachi, Nathan, Paige, Adriana, Joshua, Colton, Ava, Kiara, Grayson; his 7 nieces and nephews; many grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and his three much-loved siblings Doris, Lorraine, and Paul.
We would like to thank the caregivers at Clearwater Mayo Blvd (Phoenix, AZ) and at Colebrook Village (Hebron, CT). We are especially grateful to the Colebrook staff for their flexibility in enabling our ability to accommodate Ed’s specific care needs. In addition, we thank Eric K., Ed’s personal aide from Priority Home Care, for his diligent care and attention.
Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 11am at Sacred Heart Church, 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01104. There will be a visitation prior to the Mass from 9:00 to 10:30am at the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107. His burial will follow the Mass at Saint Michael Cemetery, 1601 State Street, Springfield, MA 01109.
If you would like to honor Ed’s memory, please donate to ‘In Jesus Name Charities’ either online (https://injesusnamecharities.org) or via mail at 411 Clinton Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. For more details and to leave his family condolence messages, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com