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Bernard "Bernie" Caliendo

Bernard "Bernie" Caliendo obituary

FUNERAL HOME

Carmon Windsor Funeral Home

807 Bloomfield Avenue

Windsor, Connecticut

UPCOMING SERVICE

Visitation

Sep. 26, 2025

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Carmon Funeral Home

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Bernard Caliendo Obituary

Bernard "Bernie" Caliendo, 71, of Windsor, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Bernie was born in Hartford, son of the late Camille (Stephenson) Caliendo, attended AI Prince Technical School, and graduated from Windsor High School. He was a talented athlete and competed in track, hockey, and football, and played pony football for the Vikings, where he was their team captain for two years. As a young man, he was fortunate enough to discover two passions that he excelled at, music and carpentry. His neighbor, who was a master carpenter, took him under his wing and taught him his trade, a career that would take him through his older years. Music was always a big part of his life and in elementary school, his friend, Mark Lepak's dad, renowned musician, Alexander Lepak, taught him how to be a drummer. Bernie participated as a drummer in the St. Gabriel's Fife & Drum Corp and in a band with his high school friends. Shortly after high school, Bernie embarked on the journey of a lifetime when he accepted a job with DD Smith & Company and traveled around the world as their sound and lighting technician. His proudest and most exciting moments of that career was when DD invited him on stage to sing with him. Bernie also spent some time in the early 80s touring with Mr. Big around the Connecticut area. During that time, he started his second career as a self-employed carpenter, working on home renovations, building furniture and cabinets, and general woodworking and electrical. For over 20 years, he served the Windsor and surrounding communities until he segued into his own home inspection business, "B Sure Home Inspection," which he owned and operated for the next 20 years. Bernie was an integral part of the Windsor community and was the first chairperson of the Home Inspectors Licensing Board, the president of the CT Association of Home Inspectors, and a member of the Exchange Club, the Historical Society, and the Lion's club. Bernie was also a communicant of St. Damien of Molokai, St. Gabriel Church in Windsor. His strong work ethic and drive inspired his family and friends to be the best they could be every day. Bernie was an amazing father, brother, uncle, and friend who put his family above all else. He taught his children the value of family, hard work, loyalty, respect, discipline, and how to treat others the way you would want to be treated. Bernie loved his kids dearly, attended all their events, and supported their dreams. It would be hard to find a man with a bigger heart, and he would give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his pocket if you needed it. Everyone knew him for his big smile and his willingness to talk to anyone. Bernie will be remembered as a sweet, sentimental, and nostalgic man who showed his love to many different people in many different ways. He enjoyed doing things his own way, but he had a heart of gold, and everything came from a place of love. Bernie was often the life of the party and loved being in the middle of a celebration. He had a great and playful sense of humor and loved to play friendly pranks on his family and friends. He enjoyed cooking traditional American and Italian dishes and looked forward to participating in family chili cook-offs and always followed his rule of "the hotter the better." Bernie kept his love for drumming alive and well in his life and especially loved listening to the Beatles, NRBQ, and the Young Rascals. He was passionate about his politics and enjoyed watching the news and giving voice to his opinions. His softer side enjoyed writing poetry, drawing, and reading historical books. Bernie also loved golf, fishing, photography, skiing, and watching gangster movies. Bernie leaves a legacy of beautiful memories that will live in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. Bernie is survived by his children, Alexander Caliendo of Windsor Locks and Camille Caliendo of Portland, ME; their mother and his former spouse, Diana Caliendo of Suffield; his siblings, Stephen Caliendo and his wife Karen of East Windsor, Fran Shea of Bristol, Rita Tryon of Canton, and Carol Toce and her husband Mark of Windsor Locks; his nephews, Chris Toce and his wife Megan and Andrew Toce and his wife Kaytlynn Wiecek; as well as other relatives and many friends. His family will receive friends on Friday, September 26, 10-11:30 a.m., at Carmon Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave.,, Windsor, followed by a procession to St. Damien of Molokai Parish, St. Gabriel Church, 379 Broad St., Windsor, for a Mass of Christian Burial, 12 Noon. Burial will be private in St. Joseph Cemetery, Windsor.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by WFSB on Sep. 17, 2025.

Memorial Events
for Bernard Caliendo

Sep

26

Visitation

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Carmon Funeral Home

807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor, CT 06095

Sep

26

Mass of Christian Burial

12:00 p.m.

St. Damien of Molokai Parish - St. Gabriel Church

379 Broad Street, Windsor, CT 06095

Funeral services provided by:

Carmon Windsor Funeral Home

807 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor, CT 06095

Memories and Condolences
for Bernard Caliendo

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3 Entries

Joe Cezus

Yesterday

Met Bernie when we were in grade school, and we were bothered hooked on drumming. We joined the Saint Gabe's Pipe and Drum Corps under the guise of John Mooney. The kicker was that we signed up for a Fife and drum corps. Pipes meant bagpipes! For 3 years, we faithfully attended Saturday practices and always promised a spot in the band. Well, there were too many snare drummers, so Mooney offered us a new position, that of playing the "dishmops" ... bass drum sticks covered in yarn sleeves ... the catch being that we were to flip those sticks in midair and then hit our attached drum. We both took the positions and went from grade school through high school "playing" with those dishmops. By the time we left, we were being paid $1 for each performance. Our biggest, greatest gig was marching in the Springfield St. Patrick's Day Parade. As we approached the viewing stand, NBC went to commercial. Monday morning arrived and our friends wanted to know just why we were not on the show. When we told them, we faced mega-teasing. Through it all, Bernie faced the ribbing with his great sense of humor and aplomb. He was a good friend and a good drummer. Probably taking over the percussion section in God's great orchestra. Rest in peace,friend, because you earned it. Joe Cezus

Jim Vozzolo

September 18, 2025

My deepest condolences to Bernie´s family.
My name is Jim Vozzolo, I grew up in Windsor and had the pleasure of knowing Bernie. My most recent contact with Bernie since high school was on the high school reunion committee. His demeanor hadn´t changed over the past 50 years. We joked and asked each other where did the time do?
RIP Bernie, you will be missed.

Carmon Windsor Funeral Home

September 17, 2025

With deepest sympathy during this time of difficulty.

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