Bernice was fiercely independent, strong willed, sharp witted, and outrageously funny. Above all else, Bernice loved deeply and was deeply loved by her family and friends.
Bernice, was born on January 22, 1924 in Philadelphia, PA. She spent most of her adult life in Clifton, New Jersey and then Virginia Beach, Virginia before moving to New Orleans. Bernice was preceded in death by her husband Chester “Chet” Martone, her parents Leo and Alicia McDonnell, and her younger siblings Claire Fay, Gerald McDonnell and Leo McDonnell. She is survived by her only child and daughter, Alicia Martone Bendana, her son-in-law David Bendana, and her grandchildren Donovan, Finnian, and Roan Bendana.
There will be a funeral at 2 pm on July 29, 2021 at the Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach followed by an internment of ashes at the mausoleum in the Princess Anne Memorial Park Cemetery and then a reception at the Princess Anne Country Club.
