Madeline Bernstein

4/12/1925 - 10/3/2023

Waterford - Madeline Bernstein (n. DellaRocco), age 98, longtime resident of Waterford, died peacefully Oct. 3, 2023, at Beechwood Transitional Care in New London. She was born in New Haven, April 12, 1925, daughter of Joseph and Antoinette DellaRocco.

Madeline graduated from the William Backus Hospital School of Nursing in 1946, a proud member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. She retired in 1992 from York Correctional Institution for women, in Niantic, Connecticut Dept. of Corrections, where she had worked on the medical unit for over ten years.

Madeline was predeceased by her beloved son John J. DelMonte Jr. in 1991; and her sister Bessie Macrino in 2006. Madeline proudly established the John J. DelMonte Jr. endowed scholarship fund at Eastern Connecticut State University in 1993, in memory of her son, who was a talented theater arts major, Class of 1973. She and her son shared a passion for opera and theater. In 1993, Madeline donated to Eastern her son's treasure trove of operatic and musical recordings and a dedicated listening room was established in John's name at the university library. Additionally, a new intimate theater venue completed in 2016 was named the DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theater to honor the exemplary contributions to the University by Mrs. Bernstein and her son John.

Friends of Madeline would like to express their gratitude and deep appreciation for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staff at Crescent Point in Niantic, the staff at Beechwood and the staff from Care at Home during the final chapters of her life. Memorial contributions may be sent to: Eastern Connecticut State University, Development Office, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT 06226. Checks should be made out to the ECSU Foundation. On the memo line of check, please write Delmonte Scholarship.