Aldo Bernardo

1920 - 2011

Bernardo, Aldo S.

Johnson City, NY: Aldo S. Bernardo went to be with the Lord on November 27,2011. He was born in Colli al Volturno, Italy on May 17, 1920. He was predeceased by his parents, Ernesto and Adele (DeOrchis) Bernardo, his sisters Vanda and Dolores, and his first wife, Claudia. He is survived by his loving wife, Reta (Mohney) Bernardo; his children, Donald and Nancy Bernardo, Joanne and Clark Burr, and Adele and William Boyle; grandchildren, Donald and Kathryn Bernardo, Charles and Joy Burr, Adele and Jamie League, William Boyle Jr., Ryan and Laci Boyle, Michael Boyle; great-grandchildren, Lucas and Victor Bernardo, Maresa and Charlie Burr, and Jacob and Brianna League; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John and Julian Mohney; and nieces, Holly Mohney and Kimberly and Brent Wolfe; a special friend, Anthony Pellegrini; many cousins and friends. Aldo served in the US Air Force from 1942-46 and earned his BA and MA from Brown University and his PhD from Harvard University. He was one of the founding faculty of Harpur College, having come in 1949 to Triple Cities College of Syracuse University as an instructor in Italian. He retired in 1987 as Distinguished Service Professor of Italian and Comparative Literature for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service to the university. He loved teaching and inspired many students throughout his 38 years at the university. As chairman of the Division of Humanities from 1959-67 he was instrumental in shaping the college to become a university center and in hiring quality faculty to achieve this end. In 1966 he co-founded the Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies (CEMERS) and directed it from 1966-73. He served as President ofVerrazzano College from 1973-75. A well-known scholar, he wrote many books, articles, and reviews on the medieval period and translated Petrarch's two major collections of Latin letters, making available in English a body of knowledge that influenced Renaissance writing and thought. He contributed to many books and series, including ones to learn Italian and understand Dante. A Fulbright scholar and a Guggenheim fellow, he also received many grants in support of his innovative use of the computer for translation. His countless professional activities promoted the study of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio and academia in general. Among his many honors were the Order of Merit from the President of Italy for his promotion of Italian literature and culture and a gold medal from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC for organizing a week-long conference on Petrarch. His abiding interest in the well-being of students and the status of education remained after his retirement when he continued to write and speak on the subject. For ten years he led a Dante reading group-one ofthe great pleasures in retirement. He loved his 50 summers at Laurel Lake, sailing his Sunfish and playing bocce, listening to music and playing the piano, playing with words and having an espresso with friends. The family is very grateful to the people (aides and therapists) who so motivated him in the last six months. What mattered to him in the end despite his many achievements were people, and most especially his family. Funeral services will be held at the J.F. Rice Funeral Home, Inc.,150 Main Street, Johnson City Friday at 9:00 AM and 9:30 AM at St. James Church where a Funeral Mass will be offered. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the Funeral Home Thursday from 2-6 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to the CEMERS' endowment fund would be appreciated (A. Bernardo Fund - #20879, BU Foundation, POBox 6005, Binghamton, NY 13902.