Mary-Alma Bernier

August 8, 2025

Mary-Alma Keene Bernier passed away peacefully on Friday, August 8, 2025, at age 94, at the St. Walburga Monastery of the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth, after a recent hospitalization.

Mary-Alma was born in Fall River, Massachusetts to John L. Keene and Alma Girard Keene. She grew up in Taunton, MA where she attended the immigrant French-Canadian Ecole St. Jacques Grammar School, Taunton High School (cum laude), and Bristol County Business School.

She married Edward Joseph Bernier in 1955. They resided in Philadelphia until 1961, then moved to Elizabeth, NJ, where Ed in 1970 became comptroller of the Elizabeth Housing Authority. They raised seven children.

Mary-Alma was a long-time parishioner of St. Genevieve’s Roman Catholic Church, where she was a member and president of the Rosary Society. As a mother of a busy Scouting family, she participated in many Cub Scout and Boy Scout activities, including serving as a Den Mother.

Always interested in civics and politics, Mary served on the Board of Directors of the Citizens League of Elizabeth and was an active member of The Elmora Association, Women’s Political Caucus, and local Democratic associations. She made a proud but unsuccessful bid for election to the Elizabeth City Council in 1986.

Mary-Alma worked in secretarial positions at Taunton State Hospital and Philadelphia State Hospital. She retired in 1987 after 16 years at the Elizabeth Public Library to pursue a full-time career as an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics Co.

Mary-Alma loved the arts and education. She was an avid reader and life-long learner. She constantly inspired her family with words of wisdom from her reading. Mary was known for writing and collecting her many notes and papers of “important information.” She wrote in her final wishes, “Most of all I urge my family not to grieve for me, but to remember me in their Masses and prayers and to continue to live a good life as I have tried to do in my lifetime, and as I have tried to instill in them so that one day we will all be together in Heaven. Lastly, I thank God for sending me the greatest husband and children in the world.”

Mary-Alma was predeceased by her four younger siblings: John L. Keene, Jr. (Taunton, MA), Joseph Keene (Taunton, MA), Bernadette Keene McDonnell (Brockton, MA), and Raymond Keene (Taunton. MA), as well as her daughter-in-law, Karen Zagorski Bernier.

She is survived by her husband Edward J. Bernier (Nazareth, PA); seven children: Christopher Bernier (Carole Prymuszewski), Daniel Bernier (Judy Trio-Turner Bernier), Matthew Bernier, Edward M. Bernier (Francine Sitarski Bernier), Regina Swierc (Robert Heasty), Timothy Bernier (Giovanni Manalo) and Sr. Mariette Thérèse Bernier, OSB; grandchildren: Robert Americk (Jill Slavinski Americk), Edward M. Bernier, Jr., Brandon Bernier, Christian Swierc, Thomas Bernier, John Bernier, Samantha Turner Castro (William Castro), Eric Turner (Kristin Mazza Turner), Matthew Turner; and great grandchildren: McKenna Americk, Jonathan Turner, and James Turner.

Visitation will be held at Krowicki McCracken Funeral Home, 2124 E. St. George Ave., Linden, NJ on Monday, August 11, 2025 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A funeral Mass will take place at St. Genevieve’s Church, 200 Monmouth Rd, Elizabeth, NJ on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 10:00 am.

The Rite of Christian Burial will take place at Graceland Memorial Park, Galloping Hill Rd., Kenilworth, NJ following the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Mary-Alma to the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth Infirmary Fund, 851 North Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ 07208 (bensisnj.org/donate).

A visitation for Mary-Alma will be held Monday, August 11, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at KROWICKI MCCRACKEN FUNERAL HOME, 2124 East Saint George Ave, Linden, NJ 07036. A funeral mass will occur Tuesday, August 12, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St Genevieve's Church, 200 Monmouth Rd, Elizabeth, NJ 07208. A funeral will occur Tuesday, August 12, 2025 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Graceland Memorial Park & Mausoleum, 1801 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ 07033.