Domenic William Bernabei, 83, passed away on April 19, 2020 at his home. The son of Andrew Bernabei and Eleanor (DeAngelis) McDermott, he was born on June 5, 1936 in Winthrop, Massachusetts. He was raised in the Buzzards Bay Area of Bourne, Massachusetts. While attending Bourne High School, he was a tri-sport captain of his football, basketball and baseball teams; and class president his junior and senior years. He graduated in 1954 and immediately joined the United States Marine Corp, serving during the Korean War. After his time in the service, he attended and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University. After he graduated from college in 1962, he worked for the United States Postal Service and the Bourne Police Department. He worked both jobs until he was hired as a Compliance Officer for the United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. He worked for the D. O. L. until his retirement in 1998. Domenic was particularly proud of his work as the primary investigator of the DeCosta Egg Farms and his oversight of the 1972 elections of the United Mine Workers of America. He worked hard to ensure compliance of FMLA, ADA and other employee rights.
On April 1, 1967 he married Eleanor Gleason of East Boston, Massachusetts and they moved to Portland soon after. He was an active member of his community, serving at his church, St. Joseph’s, Cheverus High School, McAuley High School, the Knights of Columbus and the RCIA, a program for adults who wanted to be initiated into the Catholic Church. Domenic was an original member of the Lifeline program at USM. He enjoyed attending his “breakfast club”, Friday night poker games and trips to Foxwoods. In the summer he could be found on Lake Winnisquam in Belmont, New Hampshire and on Sunday’s there grilling for family and friends. He rooted for all the New England sports teams, the Pats, Sox, Bruins and Celtics and loved to tell how he was at the game when “Havlicek stole the ball”. For hobbies he collected baseball cards and enjoyed running and walking. Most of all Domenic enjoyed his family - his wife, children and grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents and his siblings Frances Degan, Mary Ann Barnes and William McDermott.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Eleanor Bernabei, his children, Judith M. Carlstrom and her husband Erik of Portland, Lenore A. Hilton and her husband Todd of Portland, Kathleen M. Lawrence and her husband Ken of Roswell Georgia, Maureen E. Smart and her husband Brian of South Portland, and Andrew D. Bernabei and his wife Stephanie (Martinson) of Leicester, Massachusetts. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Nicholas and Rachael Lawrence, Abigail and Emma Bernabei, Griffin, McKenzie and Grady Smart, and Alison Hilton, and his siblings, Josephine Mettley and Carla Talarico.
Services will be held later in the spring. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home.
