WEST SUFFIELD, CT – Thelma M. (Bernardara) Flynn, 88, longtime Southwick resident, passed away at home on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Born in Southwick, MA, she was the daughter of the late August & Minerva (White) Bernardara, she attended local schools and was a 1942 graduate of Westfield High School.Thelma was employed as Manager of Ebbs Corner Store for 10 years. She was a Cancer Registrar and Supervisor in Medical Records at Saint Frances Hospital for 18 years, retiring in 1990. She was a founding member and also one of the first Cancer registrars in the State of CT. She was co-founder and Vice President of Sentry Security of Suffield from 1972 until retiring in 2000. Thelma was very active in the Southwick Congregational Church, the Southwick Historical Society, and was a member of the Western Mass Gladiola Society. She loved working outside caring for her flowers; she enjoyed watching and feeding the birds.
Thelma leaves three children, Robbin Pope Willis and her husband Richard, with whom she lived with in West Suffield, CT; two sons, William and his wife Sarah of East Granby, CT, and Anthony and his wife Elaine of Willimantic, CT; a sister, Shirley Hotaling and her late husband Arnie, and a brother, William Bernardara and his late wife Lois, all of Westfield, MA; her very special grandchildren, Stephen Flynn and wife Tara, Jennifer Flynn and fiancé’ Ryan Redmond, Michael Flynn, Tyler Flynn, Stacey Auvil and husband Brantley, Meighan Willis and husband Travis; two great-grandchildren, Madeline & Matthew Auvil; several nieces and nephews, and many special friends. Thelma was predeceased by her husband Robert in 1962 and her second husband, Stanley in 2000; a step-son, Robert Jr. in 2008; sisters, Catherine Quinn and husband Lawrence, Eunice Howe and husband Burton; brother, Frank Bernardara and wife Anne; step- brother, Evelino and wife Frances.
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 14th, at 11:00 a.m. at the Southwick Congregational Church, 488 College Highway, Southwick, MA. Burial will be in New Cemetery in the spring. Visiting hours will be Thursday, March 13th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at the Southwick-Forastiere Funeral Home, 624 College Highway, Southwick, MA.
In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation to the Bernardara Flag Fund. Please send to Town Treasurer, Southwick, MA. This fund is to maintain the Flag and Flagpole in the Center Green by the Veteran’s Memorial Stone. Mr. Bernardara took care of that flag for many years until his death.
