MIDDLEBURY — Bernadette Wilkinson, 86, the widow of Jeris Wilkinson, died peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 at her home.
Bernadette was born on Dec. 29, 1930 in North Adams, Mass., a daughter of the late Herve and Marie Ann Desautels. She lived in Middlebury over 20 years where she was a parishioner of St. John of the Cross Church, and she also lived in Brookfield and Woodbury. She graduated from Our Lady of Elms College in Chicopee, Mass., and before retiring, she worked as a microbiologist at Waterbury Hospital for over 30 years. Bernadette’s laboratory work on meningitis has been cited in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
Bernadette is survived by her son, Stephen Wilkinson and his wife, Debbie, of Danbury; her step-granddaughter, Allison Kirby; her nephew, Arthur G. Roberts and his wife, Janet, of Hilo, Hawaii; her stepson, Andrew Pye, his wife, Beth, and their sons, RJ and Andrew Pye of Chester, and her beloved cat, Felix. In addition to her parents and her husband, Bernadette was predeceased by her long-time companion, Richard Pye; her brothers, Bernard, Paul and Charles; and her sisters, Pauline, Lucille and Sylvia.
All services are private and there are no calling hours. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Rose Hope Animal Refuge, 201 Union Street, Waterbury, CT 06706.
To leave an online condolence, visit www.buckmillerthurstonmengacci.com.
