Obituary of Maria Rose Bernard

December 4, 1941 - December 18, 2025 It is with heartfelt sadness we announce the passing of Maria Rose Bernard of Summerside, formerly of Mont-Carmel, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the O’Leary Community Hospital, at the age of 84. At the time of her passing, she was surrounded by members of her loving family. Born in Abram-Village on December 4, 1941, Maria was the beloved wife of the late Robert Richard and cherished daughter of the late Antonin and Emma (born Cormier) Bernard of Mont-Carmel. Maria will be lovingly remembered by her devoted daughter, Paulette (Gavin); her brothers and sister, Adrien, Amand (Marie), and Léona ; also her sisters-in-law, Florence, Mélina, Bertha, Angèle (Melvin) and her cherished friend Walter “Skip”. She will also be fondly remembered by her many nieces and nephews for which she held an incredible amount of pride. Maria was predeceased by her husband, Robert ; her parents, Antonin and Emma Bernard ; her parents-in-law, Glorice and Marie Anne; her brothers and sisters, Ernest (Cécile), Sr. Marie Léonce ‘Rita’, Frida (Isidore), Sr. Hermine, Marguerite (infancy), Léonce and Ronald; as well as her brothers and sisters-in-law, Claire, Sr. Marguerite, Cyril (Rosella), Arsène, Martin, Adolphe (Léona), Hélène (Joe), Isabelle (infancy), Eric (Doria) and Gordie. Maria always had the Acadian and Francophone community at heart. She assumed significant leadership roles at the community, provincial and national levels to improve the lives of Acadian and Francophone women. She was recognized for her achievements as a Woman of Distinction (Femme remarquable) by the Fédération nationale des femmes canadiennes-françaises. Maria also received the Acadian Woman of the Year Award from the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival in 2006. As an educator, Maria also played a key role in the education of several generations of young people in Prince Edward Island, in the Evangeline region, and as the first principal of l’École François-Buote and Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown. Maria found great joy in spending time with her family at the cottage in Union Corner and meeting up with friends to play bridge or other various games. She had a wide social circle of people from diverse groups who were always happy to visit her. The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the dedicated staff at the O’Leary Community Hospital and to the Home Care Program for their excellent care. Resting at Evangeline Funeral Home, 900 Route 124, Urbainville, PEI, for visiting hours on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, from 12 noon to 2 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mont Carmel Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 23 at 3 pm. Interment will take place at a later date in the Mont-Carmel parish cemetery. A gathering will be held at the Centre Goéland (7151 route 11, Cape-Egmont) following the funeral mass. For those who wish, memorial donations may be made in Maria’s memory to La Coopérative Le Chez-Nous ltée, le Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante (Centre Goéland) or to the Our Lady of Mont-Carmel Catholic Church. Messages of condolences may be sent to the family through the “Tribute Wall” on this webpage or by email at evangelinefuneralcoop@pei.aibn.com