Mary Edna Bernardy

Mary Edna Bernardy, née Chartrand, age 96, passed away at Beacon Hill, the retirement community in Lombard that had been her home for nearly 22 years; Beloved wife of the late Robert; loving mother of Jim (Sandy), Bill (Marie), Bob, Tom, Rich (Sherry), Ed and the late Patrick; cherished grandmother of Christopher, Rob, Sarah, Amanda, Samantha, Aidan, and Marissa; and great-grandmother of Anthony, Gianna, Rocco, Skylare, Draven, Tali, Mia, Alina, Daniel, Ryan, Conrad, Pierson, and Elora. Mary was born December 28, 1924 and grew up on the west side of Chicago, where she attended St. Mel’s grade school and Providence High School. Graduating in the midst of WWII, she worked as a secretary for the Army in Chicago. She met her husband on St. Patrick’s Day at a bar when both were there with other dates; they were engaged five weeks later and married in August. She moved into the home her husband and in-laws had built by hand in Stone Park, where she raised her children and continued working as an executive secretary. Mary never drove, relying on taxis to get to work and the many companies that offered in-home sales. She was proud to have two of her sons be the first to attend college and earn graduate degrees. Her move to Beacon Hill provided a third chapter to her life; she made many friends there and was a voracious reader. She was appreciative of the care provided by the nursing staff, who helped extend her life beyond her expectations. Due to COVID restrictions, a celebration of her life will be held in the future. Burial will be at Mount Carmel Cemetery, with arrangements handled by Gibbons Funeral Home, Elmhurst. 630-832-0018 or www.gibbonsfuneralhome.com