Bernard Monteiro

After expressing to his family that he had grown weary of dialysis, doctors, tests, and hospitals, Bernard Monteiro began his transition on his own terms. It ended peacefully on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway, NJ. "Mr. Bernard", "Bernie”, “Gramps", "Papa", or “Daddy” as he was affectionately called by those who knew and loved him was our family treasure. He was born on May 28, 1923, in Philadelphia, PA, the only child of Barney Monteiro and Rudean (McCann) Monteiro. Born of Cape Verdean heritage, he was proud of his roots and it was not uncommon to see him browsing the internet daily to search for news of his parents' homeland. Bernard was a US Navy Veteran who served during World War II. It was after he was honorably discharged 1945, that he attended a social gathering with friends in Newark, NJ. It was there that he met and later married Annie Brown in 1948. They made their home in Newark, NJ where Bernard would work at various jobs in the steel refinery industry (Reynolds Metals, Irvington Refinery, and Alloy Steel). As those industries began to fold, he became a merchandiser and custodial worker at Abraham and Straus Department Store in Woodbridge, NJ. He spent many happy years there until he retired at the young age of 75. He spent his retirement doting on his grandchildren and great grandchildren whom he adored, running errands for the family, taking our cars to be serviced, and just enjoying life. He loved to read, travel, and spend time by the water, especially Atlantic City. He became proficient in the use of a computer at the ripe age of 90 and would use it to follow family on Facebook and find out anything he was curious about. His eyes would light up as we marveled at the information he would share with us. We called him the “Googler”. Bernard leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 70 years, Anne, three daughters, Bernardine (Carl) Edwards, Anita Farrar, Bernadette Guyton, and one son, Juan, two sisters-in-law, Albertha Martin and Dorothy Brown, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, Luis, and two sons-in-love, Reverend Melvin Guyton and William Farrar. Acknowledgement The family wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the many comforting messages, prayers, cards, and other expressions of kindness and concern. May God richly bless each of you.