Anna Marie Bernardi, who battled Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, for the last year-and-a-half of her life, died June 15 at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. She was 47.
Bernardi was born Anna Morrow on May 20, 1963, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When she was two her family moved to the United States, first to Detroit and then to Oakland. She went through school in Oakland and also in San Jose.
As a teenager she began working as a cashier clerk. She would remain in that field through her life, gravitating to thrift stores having inherited a family fondness for bric-a-brac, especially artworks and glass.
For the last seven years of her working life — until October 2008 — she was employed at the Safeway in Rohnert Park, in the bakery department.
"She was very loud and fun to be around, very sassy," said Anika Vicente, a coworker. "I always loved coming into work knowing that she was going to be there, she was always making people laugh."
Bernardi moved in 1981 to Willits to live with her sister, Zoe Charon, now of Rohnert Park. There she met her husband, Steve. The couple married on May 23, 1981.
They moved to Texas for a brief time, and then, in the mid-1980's, to Rohnert Park.
The mother of five children, Bernardi frequently served as a surrogate mother to other children, whom she would take in if they were in trouble or had problems at home.
"They called her Ma, and their kids call her Grandma," Charon said. "She would never give up on anybody, so the best thing she thought she could do was to take care of their children when they couldn't and she did it without judgment."
Bernardi spent many of her happiest hours with her husband at Doran Beach on the Sonoma Coast where she could spot the tiniest of sand dollars and collected a massive collection of shells.
"She spent countless hours there, it was her favorite place," Charon said.
In 2008, Bernardi began to experience trouble with falling, and underwent back surgery. It didn't relieve the problem, and in November 2009 she was diagnosed with ALS, a ravaging nerve disease.
As the sickness progressed, the ALS/MDA Foundation helped the family with wheelchairs, support groups, "and whatever else was needed," Charon said.
Although the disease eventually took the use of her legs and arms, "she never stopped smiling," Charon said. "She had the most amazing smile."
In May, her family, in a tribute to tradition and Bernardi's love of bric-a-brac, opened a thrift store in Rohnert Park called Anna's Family Tradition Thrift.
Bernardi was there for the grand opening and was able to speak one of her signature phrases, "Oh, happy day."
Bernardi's survivors include her husband, Steve Bernardi of Rohnert Park; the couple's five children, Bernie Bernardi and Jonathan Bernardi, of Rohnert Park, Chris Bernardi, of Orange County, Leslie McIntosh, of Santa Rosa, and Andrea Bernardi, of Eureka; and her parents, George Morrow of Palm Springs and Rita O'Brien of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
She also is survived by sisters Zita Morrow, of Modesto, and Zelda Morrow, of Rohnert Park; and brothers Peter Morrow and David Morrow, of Rohnert Park; Paul Morrow, of Modesto; and Tony Morrow, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on July 3 at Berean Baptist Church, 6298 Country Club Drive, Rohnert Park.
Bernardi was born Anna Morrow on May 20, 1963, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When she was two her family moved to the United States, first to Detroit and then to Oakland. She went through school in Oakland and also in San Jose.
As a teenager she began working as a cashier clerk. She would remain in that field through her life, gravitating to thrift stores having inherited a family fondness for bric-a-brac, especially artworks and glass.
For the last seven years of her working life — until October 2008 — she was employed at the Safeway in Rohnert Park, in the bakery department.
"She was very loud and fun to be around, very sassy," said Anika Vicente, a coworker. "I always loved coming into work knowing that she was going to be there, she was always making people laugh."
Bernardi moved in 1981 to Willits to live with her sister, Zoe Charon, now of Rohnert Park. There she met her husband, Steve. The couple married on May 23, 1981.
They moved to Texas for a brief time, and then, in the mid-1980's, to Rohnert Park.
The mother of five children, Bernardi frequently served as a surrogate mother to other children, whom she would take in if they were in trouble or had problems at home.
"They called her Ma, and their kids call her Grandma," Charon said. "She would never give up on anybody, so the best thing she thought she could do was to take care of their children when they couldn't and she did it without judgment."
Bernardi spent many of her happiest hours with her husband at Doran Beach on the Sonoma Coast where she could spot the tiniest of sand dollars and collected a massive collection of shells.
"She spent countless hours there, it was her favorite place," Charon said.
In 2008, Bernardi began to experience trouble with falling, and underwent back surgery. It didn't relieve the problem, and in November 2009 she was diagnosed with ALS, a ravaging nerve disease.
As the sickness progressed, the ALS/MDA Foundation helped the family with wheelchairs, support groups, "and whatever else was needed," Charon said.
Although the disease eventually took the use of her legs and arms, "she never stopped smiling," Charon said. "She had the most amazing smile."
In May, her family, in a tribute to tradition and Bernardi's love of bric-a-brac, opened a thrift store in Rohnert Park called Anna's Family Tradition Thrift.
Bernardi was there for the grand opening and was able to speak one of her signature phrases, "Oh, happy day."
Bernardi's survivors include her husband, Steve Bernardi of Rohnert Park; the couple's five children, Bernie Bernardi and Jonathan Bernardi, of Rohnert Park, Chris Bernardi, of Orange County, Leslie McIntosh, of Santa Rosa, and Andrea Bernardi, of Eureka; and her parents, George Morrow of Palm Springs and Rita O'Brien of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
She also is survived by sisters Zita Morrow, of Modesto, and Zelda Morrow, of Rohnert Park; and brothers Peter Morrow and David Morrow, of Rohnert Park; Paul Morrow, of Modesto; and Tony Morrow, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on July 3 at Berean Baptist Church, 6298 Country Club Drive, Rohnert Park.
Anna Marie Bernardi, who battled Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, for the last year-and-a-half of her life, died June 15 at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. She was 47.
Bernardi was born Anna Morrow on May 20, 1963, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When she was two her family moved to the United States, first to Detroit and then to Oakland. She went through school in Oakland and also in San Jose.
As a teenager she began working as a cashier clerk. She would remain in that field through her life, gravitating to thrift stores having inherited a family fondness for bric-a-brac, especially artworks and glass.
For the last seven years of her working life — until October 2008 — she was employed at the Safeway in Rohnert Park, in the bakery department.
"She was very loud and fun to be around, very sassy," said Anika Vicente, a coworker. "I always loved coming into work knowing that she was going to be there, she was always making people laugh."
Bernardi moved in 1981 to Willits to live with her sister, Zoe Charon, now of Rohnert Park. There she met her husband, Steve. The couple married on May 23, 1981.
They moved to Texas for a brief time, and then, in the mid-1980's, to Rohnert Park.
The mother of five children, Bernardi frequently served as a surrogate mother to other children, whom she would take in if they were in trouble or had problems at home.
"They called her Ma, and their kids call her Grandma," Charon said. "She would never give up on anybody, so the best thing she thought she could do was to take care of their children when they couldn't and she did it without judgment."
Bernardi spent many of her happiest hours with her husband at Doran Beach on the Sonoma Coast where she could spot the tiniest of sand dollars and collected a massive collection of shells.
"She spent countless hours there, it was her favorite place," Charon said.
In 2008, Bernardi began to experience trouble with falling, and underwent back surgery. It didn't relieve the problem, and in November 2009 she was diagnosed with ALS, a ravaging nerve disease.
As the sickness progressed, the ALS/MDA Foundation helped the family with wheelchairs, support groups, "and whatever else was needed," Charon said.
Although the disease eventually took the use of her legs and arms, "she never stopped smiling," Charon said. "She had the most amazing smile."
In May, her family, in a tribute to tradition and Bernardi's love of bric-a-brac, opened a thrift store in Rohnert Park called Anna's Family Tradition Thrift.
Bernardi was there for the grand opening and was able to speak one of her signature phrases, "Oh, happy day."
Bernardi's survivors include her husband, Steve Bernardi of Rohnert Park; the couple's five children, Bernie Bernardi and Jonathan Bernardi, of Rohnert Park, Chris Bernardi, of Orange County, Leslie McIntosh, of Santa Rosa, and Andrea Bernardi, of Eureka; and her parents, George Morrow of Palm Springs and Rita O'Brien of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
She also is survived by sisters Zita Morrow, of Modesto, and Zelda Morrow, of Rohnert Park; and brothers Peter Morrow and David Morrow, of Rohnert Park; Paul Morrow, of Modesto; and Tony Morrow, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on July 3 at Berean Baptist Church, 6298 Country Club Drive, Rohnert Park.
Bernardi was born Anna Morrow on May 20, 1963, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
When she was two her family moved to the United States, first to Detroit and then to Oakland. She went through school in Oakland and also in San Jose.
As a teenager she began working as a cashier clerk. She would remain in that field through her life, gravitating to thrift stores having inherited a family fondness for bric-a-brac, especially artworks and glass.
For the last seven years of her working life — until October 2008 — she was employed at the Safeway in Rohnert Park, in the bakery department.
"She was very loud and fun to be around, very sassy," said Anika Vicente, a coworker. "I always loved coming into work knowing that she was going to be there, she was always making people laugh."
Bernardi moved in 1981 to Willits to live with her sister, Zoe Charon, now of Rohnert Park. There she met her husband, Steve. The couple married on May 23, 1981.
They moved to Texas for a brief time, and then, in the mid-1980's, to Rohnert Park.
The mother of five children, Bernardi frequently served as a surrogate mother to other children, whom she would take in if they were in trouble or had problems at home.
"They called her Ma, and their kids call her Grandma," Charon said. "She would never give up on anybody, so the best thing she thought she could do was to take care of their children when they couldn't and she did it without judgment."
Bernardi spent many of her happiest hours with her husband at Doran Beach on the Sonoma Coast where she could spot the tiniest of sand dollars and collected a massive collection of shells.
"She spent countless hours there, it was her favorite place," Charon said.
In 2008, Bernardi began to experience trouble with falling, and underwent back surgery. It didn't relieve the problem, and in November 2009 she was diagnosed with ALS, a ravaging nerve disease.
As the sickness progressed, the ALS/MDA Foundation helped the family with wheelchairs, support groups, "and whatever else was needed," Charon said.
Although the disease eventually took the use of her legs and arms, "she never stopped smiling," Charon said. "She had the most amazing smile."
In May, her family, in a tribute to tradition and Bernardi's love of bric-a-brac, opened a thrift store in Rohnert Park called Anna's Family Tradition Thrift.
Bernardi was there for the grand opening and was able to speak one of her signature phrases, "Oh, happy day."
Bernardi's survivors include her husband, Steve Bernardi of Rohnert Park; the couple's five children, Bernie Bernardi and Jonathan Bernardi, of Rohnert Park, Chris Bernardi, of Orange County, Leslie McIntosh, of Santa Rosa, and Andrea Bernardi, of Eureka; and her parents, George Morrow of Palm Springs and Rita O'Brien of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
She also is survived by sisters Zita Morrow, of Modesto, and Zelda Morrow, of Rohnert Park; and brothers Peter Morrow and David Morrow, of Rohnert Park; Paul Morrow, of Modesto; and Tony Morrow, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on July 3 at Berean Baptist Church, 6298 Country Club Drive, Rohnert Park.
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