South San Francisco, CA October 20, 2022 by Garden Chapel Funeral Directors
Please share your favorite memory of Bernadine to be included in a special keepsake book for the family HERE.
Bernadine June Fornesi died peacefully the afternoon of October 17, 2022. She was welcomed into heaven by her husband of 69 years, Aldo Fornesi and son Valentino Carl Fornesi.
Born Bernadine June Horn in Bloomfield, Iowa on October 19, 1925 to Alta Ballew and Paul Horn. Young Bernie grew up on a farm and always loved animals She loved to read and excelled at academics. During WWII she answered the call for Women to fill the labor shortage in the production of war ships and set off for So. San Francisco, California. She became a welder and had some very interesting stories to tell about that time in her life. After the war Bernie married a handsome Italian sailor, Aldo Fornesi. They settled in San Bruno and had four children: Pamela Fornesi, Sandra Minderman (Dale), Valentino Fornesi and Vincent de Paul (Sandra).
Bernadine was very involved in the activities of her children. She became a Brownie Leader, a Room Mother and attended many sports events, recitals, plays and talent shows. Her children had wonderful opportunities to express themselves with music, athletics, school trips and other interests.
Education was always important to Bernie and she went out and got a college degree in her fifties! She joined a writer’s club and churned out story after story. Some of those were prize winners at the County Fair.
She was also very active in physical fitness and played tennis into her eighties. Her sense of style was impeccable and she had an ageless beauty.
She is survived by admiring grandchildren: Adrienne, Emily, Molly, Kate, Alex, Vin, Nik and Valentino, ten great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
In their world she was the Queen and will truly be missed.