Harold J. Bernhardt

Harold James Bernhardt, known to all as “Buddy”, left this earth on September 11, 2025 at the age of 84. He is survived by siblings Bob (and Carol) Bernhardt, Dorothy Ann Lamartina, Linda (and Ron) Colandrea, Donald Bernhardt (deceased), David Bernhardt and June (and Jimmy) Langella. He is also survived by his loving wife Patricia Ann, his two sons Christopher and Michael (Nora), his daughter Paula (Vlad) and three grandchildren Ian Healy (Laura), Sarai Misic and Angelina Bernhardt-Meli.

Buddy was born in Brooklyn, NY to Harold James and Dorothy Ann (Gorman) Bernhardt on December 28, 1940. Buddy met Ann at St. Luke’s High School in Waldwick, NJ. He thought she was cute, so he would poke her to get her attention. Ann, being the rebel she was, fell for the bad boy in the leather jacket with the DA haircut. He left St Luke’s after a year and graduated in 1959 from Pearl River High School in NY. He enlisted in to the Army and served in El Paso, Texas after High School and was there for two years until a car accident deemed him disabled for duty.

Upon his return to New York he had a long career as a house painter. As a young man he worked his way up to owning his own business, Buddy’s Painting, where he enlisted the help of his sons as soon as they were old enough to hold a scraper and sand paper. The business eventually became Wallscapes, where Buddy worked beside his son Mike until he retired. He was always the hardest working man on the job site and had the respect of all who worked beside him.

When he wasn’t in his painters whites, Buddy found joy in his family - whether it was the summers at the New Jersey Shore, big holidays gathering or fishing with his brothers and sons.

Services will be held on Tuesday, September 23 beginning at Michael J Higgins Funeral Home (321 South Main Street, New City, NY) from 9-11am, where the American Legion will honor Buddy at 10am. A funeral mass will follow at Saint Anthony’s Church (36 W Nyack Rd. Nanuet, NY) at 11:30am. Buddy will then be laid to rest there beside his parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to American Legion Charities. The organization supports multiple facets of care for veterans, military personal, families and communities.