Bernadette Terminello

Bernadette Terminello, 87, of Lakewood, N.J., passed away on Thursday, November 10, 2022. A funeral mass will be offered on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, 28 Livingston Ave., Roseland, N.J. Kindly gather directly at the church for the funeral mass where friends and family may pay their respects from 9:15 a.m. through 10:00 a.m. Mausoleum entombment will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Montclair, N.J. Arrangements are under the direction of Shook-Farmer Funeral Home, 45 Roseland Ave., Roseland, N.J. Memories and condolences may be shared at shookfarmer.com.
Bernadette was a bright light of inspiration who made all her students, friends and loved ones believe they could achieve anything. Her contagious smile and life of the party, youthful heart was a positive force to all she encountered. Her creativity and love of the arts made her a fun, brilliant teacher.
She taught in the Montclair School System for 20 years and put together the first gifted and talented prototype for the State of New Jersey, which won many awards including the Johns Hopkin University Talented Youth Teacher Award. One of the highlights of Bernadette''s career in the Montclair Public Schools was in 1976, while working at Hillside Gifted and Talented Magnet School, where she led the entire school in its OZ Day Parade.
She then went on to start the gifted and talented program at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy where she taught for fifteen years.
Bernadette was a recipient of the 50 Women You Should Know award in Montclair.
In 2009, Bernadette returned to the Montclair School District where she was hired as a Gifted and Talented Consultant.
Bernadette can be described by this Kahlil Gibran quote, There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. She also shared her special gifts and deep religious spirituality teaching Sunday School at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
Bernadette loved to travel, dance, play piano, play gin rummy, eggplant parmigiana, an espresso before bed, and to write poems for anyone dear to her.
She was a great friend, mother, and wife, and was always there to listen and provide a shoulder to cry on. Her inspiration and joie de vivre will never be forgotten.
Bernadette leaves behind to cherish her memory, her daughter, Cherie Castellano, and her husband, Mark, and her son, Paul F. Terminello, and his wife Catherine; and her grandchildren, Louis Castellano, Dominick Castellano, Paul C. Terminello, and Christina Terminello-Betts.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, cancer.org.