Therese Bourassa-Bernier

Born in New Bedford on October 3, 1957, to Raymond G. Bourassa and Jeanne (Dufour) Bourassa, Therese grew up with a deep love of family, faith, and community that shaped the rest of her life. After graduating from Holy Family High School, she attended the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where she earned a bachelor's degree in marketing.

In January 1997, Therese and her brother Gerard (Gerry) took over Bourassa Hardware, the family business that her grandfather, Donat Bourassa, founded in 1924, and carried its legacy to its centennial anniversary. It was there that she was introduced to her husband, Robert Bernier, whom she married at St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1985. A community leader Therese was known for her dedication to serving customers and for championing small businesses, often making headlines in local media outlets as an example of independent, family-owned stores surviving the competition created by larger chains.

Faith was central to Therese’s life and ethos. A devout Catholic, she spent over 20 years as an active member of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Acushnet, and held a special devotion to St. Pope John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux — she was born on St. Thérèse's original feast day, a coincidence her mother always cited as a miracle.

Music ran just as deep. A gifted alto, Therese sang for many years with both the St. Mary's Cathedral Choir and the Greater New Bedford Choral Society. She chaired the board of directors of the Greater New Bedford Choral Society for several years. Her love of music carried over into opera and musical theatre — she especially admired Andrea Bocelli and Charlotte Church and considered The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, and The King and I as her lifelong favorite shows.

Therese's greatest joy was becoming a mother. In 2004, she and Robert traveled to Xuwen, China, to adopt their daughter, Veronica "Nika" Anne YueCai Bernier. The family touched back down on U.S. soil on December 24th — "the best Christmas gift she could ever ask for," Therese liked to say. Therese instilled the same avid love of music, reading, poetry, and theatre she possessed in her daughter, who recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Therese also found joy in the everyday and the adventurous alike. She tended a beloved garden and was proudest of her tomatoes, peppers, and asparagus. She never turned down a scoop of Cranberry Harvest, Maple Walnut, or Coconut Almond Joy from Acushnet Creamery. She adored humpback whales, elephants, and Airedales. Weekends often found her at the Fairhaven High School Farmers' Market or wandering the annual South Coast Open Studio Tour, where she regarded Jane Bregoli — author-illustrator of The Goat Lady — as her favorite artist. She and her family also shared a love of travel, biking, reading, beachcombing, and whale watching.

She is remembered by everyone who knew her as a devoted sister, mother, aunt, and friend – as the one who never forgot a birthday or other occasion, who always celebrated with a call, a card, or a hand-picked book.

In addition to her husband, Robert M. Bernier of Acushnet, and her daughter, Veronica "Nika" Bernier, and her fiancé, Griffin Sigrist, of Medway, Therese is survived by her four siblings: Janine Vanderburg and her husband, Marshall, of Denver, CO; Donald Bourassa and his wife, Phyllis, of Denver, CO; Robert "Bobby" Bourassa and his wife, Martha, of Barrington, RI; and Gerard "Gerry" Bourassa and his wife, MaryAngel, of New Bedford.

She also leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews: Jeannie Blakeley; Jacqueline "Jackie" Vanderburg; and Sarah Kenien – all of Denver, CO; Carolyn Jasinski and Michael Jasinski of Boston; Jennifer Moniz of Dartmouth; Christine Dedrick of Taunton; Elycia Marie of Rochester; Darcie Bernier of Boston; Jonathan Bernier of New Bedford; Danielle Bernier-Lord of New Port Richey, FL; Phillip Lawrence of Swansea ; and Shannon Fry of Santa Rosa, CA; as well as many grand-nieces & grand-nephews: Levi, Avi, Olivia, Tristan, Evan, Nate, Kate, Shea, Luna, and Angelique — along with countless choral, parish, and community friends she cherished equally as family.

Visiting hours for Therese will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford 4-7 PM. Her Mass of Catholic Burial will be held Thursday, October 8, 2026 at St. Francis Xavier Parish, Main Street, Acushnet at 10 AM. Burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant St., New Bedford. For online tribute/directions: www.rock-funeralhome.com.