Bernard Anthony Delserone

Bernard Anthony Delserone, 82, of Elkhart, Indiana, passed away December 14, 2008 at the Elkhart Hospice House after a long battle with cancer.

He was born June 7, 1926 in Youngwood, PA to Anthony Edward and Verna Hudock Delserone and married Angie Grifana on April 2, 1948 in Brookline, PA. He is survived by Angie, his wife of 60 years and the love of his life. He is also survived by a son Bernard Anthony “Tony” Delserone, Jr. and his wife Edith Delserone of Franklin Park, PA; three granddaughters, Sarah, Anna and Abby Delserone, also of Franklin Park, who were the lights of his life and one brother Dr. Eugene W. Delserone and his wife Doris of Pittsburgh, PA. He was preceded in death by a sister Genevieve M. Delserone and a brother William E. Delserone.

Bernie served on active duty for two years with the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II ending as a quartermaster first class. Aboard LCI(L)-237, he participated in the invasion of southern France and traveled to many corners of the Mediterranean Sea. After the war, he graduated from the Franklin School of Science and Arts and attended Temple University, both in Philadelphia.

Bernie worked in medical research at Jefferson Medical College alongside the team that developed the first heart-lung machine. He was manager of product development at the Ames Division of Miles Laboratories and was a longtime partner of Associated Marketing Services in Elkhart. He was a member of St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, Bristol, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He had a passion for cooking, enjoyed wood carving and was a voracious reader.

A memorial service will be at 10:00 am Saturday, January 3, 2009 at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 411 W. Vistula St., Bristol, IN. Father Bob VanKempen will officiate. Cremation has taken place with burial to occur at a later date.

Memorials may be given to the Elkhart Hospice House Building Fund care of the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637 or St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, 411 W. Vistula St., Bristol, IN 46507.