Alfred Bernardo, a font of knowledge & wit

When Alfred J. Bernardo took a job as a troubleshooter for the Bell Telephone Co., it was right up his alley.

Alfred was the kind of guy who was always fixing things and making improvements. Even when he was in the hospital, he rearranged his room.

"He always wanted to improve things," said his niece Maryanne Parsons. "He was a charming, good-looking man, but if you told him that, he would say, 'You need glasses.' "

Alfred Bernardo, a 31-year employee of Bell Telephone, an outstanding athlete, an Air Force veteran and a devoted family man, died of cancer March 1. He was 81 and lived in Ridley Park.

Sports was a big part of Alfred's life from his school days through his Air Force service. He even played for Bell Telephone teams.

At Ridley Park High School, he played basketball, football and baseball. He graduated in 1946.

He graduated from the Air Force Meteorology School, at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University, in 1952. He excelled in football, basketball and baseball there, and later played for the Air Force Rockets basketball team. He was voted the most valuable player and had a trophy to prove it.

He served with the Air Weather Service at Fort Bragg, N.C., attaining the rank of staff sergeant.

Alfred worked out of the Ridley Park office of Bell Telephone as a switchman.

He was a storehouse of sports trivia. In addition to being a big fan of Philadelphia teams, he could recite the history of the New York Yankees. He liked to get together with nieces and nephews and dazzle them with his knowledge of sports trivia.

He was also an avid golfer and was a member of the Rock Manor Country Club in Wilmington, Del. He was also a member of the Elks Club in Wilmington. He was an exceptional bowler, and was active in the American Legion.

Alfred was also a math whiz. Checking out his report card from the Meteorology School, Maryanne was impressed to discover he had straight-A's in calculus. He would tutor his nieces and nephews in math for their schoolwork.

"He was a very witty man," Maryanne said. "He always had a joke or a story to tell. In the hospital, he had the nurses laughing. He would needle them by telling them, 'You're my second favorite nurse.' "

Alfred was born in Philadelphia to Carmine Bernardo and the former Carmela Stavola.

He is survived by a brother, Albert Bernardo, and two sisters, Susan Bernardo Marchesani and Mary Bernardo Curley, as well as nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by another brother, Michael.

Services: Memorial Mass 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Madeline Church, Penn Street and Morton Avenue, Ridley Park. Friends may call at 9:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Neighborhood Hospice Inpatient Unit, 400 E. Marshall St., West Chester, PA 19380, or the Chester County Hospital, 701 E. Marshall St., West Chester, PA 19380, or Hershey Medical Center Department of Palliative Care, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033.