Published in the April 12, 2018 edition.
PEABODY — Shirley (Wolfe) Bernhard, 90, of Peabody, a former Registered Nurse serving New York City hospitals and schools, passed away Tuesday, April 3, 2018.
Shirley will be remembered for the joy she brought to life and to those around her, her generosity of spirit, and her determination to further world peace and human rights.
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1927, Shirley entered the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital Nursing School straight out of high school. Graduating with honors in 1940, she served in the Cadet Nurses Corps during WWII, then went on to become head nurse of the Obstetrical Unit at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital.
It was during those years that she met her soulmate and loving husband Andy, who would be at her side for 67 years. A cherished wife and mother, Shirley took a few years off her career to raise daughter Barbara and son Jeffrey then it was back to nursing at Brooklyn’s Kingsborough Community College.
A woman dedicated to public service, Shirley would march for civil rights, work for political and social causes, and was a founder of Stop Nuclear Arms Proliferation (SNAP). Through SNAP, she created a Peace Essay contest, a borough-wide student competition. She would continue to impact those around her by word, deed and example as she moved from Brooklyn to a retirement community in Boynton Beach, Florida, and her final residence at Brooksby Village in Peabody.
Shirley is survived by her daughter Barbara and husband Larry (N.Y.), son Jeffrey and wife Susan (Mass.), granddaughter Rebecca and husband Pat (Mass.), numerous loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The family would like to thank the aides, nurses and staff of Braeburn Gardens, Brooksby Village, Peabody for the extraordinary care they gave Shirley.
Services will be held graveside at New Montefiore Cemetery, 1180 Wellwood Ave, West Babylon, N.Y., at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 23.
