Obituary
Edward (Ed) C. Bernis, of Somerville, MA passed away peacefully after a long illness, on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the age of 77, surrounded by his loving family.

Born and raised first in the West End of Boston, then East Cambridge, Ed was the beloved son of the late John E. and Sophie M. (Gaina) Bernis. At age 20, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and proudly served his country for 1 year in Vietnam in the 1st Infantry Division (“Big Red One”).

Not long after returning home from Vietnam, he met Barbara, a lifelong Somerville resident, and together they settled and raised their two children (Samantha and Michael) in Somerville. Ed worked for the City of Cambridge as a printer for 40 years before retiring in 2011.

Ed’s favorite home away from home was Maine, where he traveled most often to York Beach and Ogunquit with his devoted wife and best friend Barbara. Birthdays, anniversaries and retirements were all celebrated with a trip to Maine. Thousands of memories were made each August when the whole family would gather at Short Sands in York. His many trips with Barbara to Chicago to visit their daughter were filled with laughs and great times. Ed and Barbara also enjoyed trips to Cancun, St. John USVI, Aruba and many trips to NYC over the years.

Ed was a lifelong fan of the Celtics and a proud “day 1” fan of the New England Patriots. Seeing that first Super Bowl win in 2002 after over 40 years was truly one of the highlights of Ed’s life! He was a voracious reader, and Stephen King his favorite author. He also enjoyed books focused on the Vietnam War, JFK and true crime (well before it became popular). He loved watching Jeopardy every night, thoroughly appreciated a good, smart comedy (i.e. the movie “Airplane!), and was a huge fan of the Simpsons (again, since day 1). Music was a staple in the house when his kids were growing up, and that love of music from the 60s/70s was certainly instilled in them – CCR, the Stones, Billy Joel, Elton, The Beatles – to name a few. He attended many concerts over the years, and loved Broadway shows (Evita being his favorite). He was quick with puzzles (including crosswords) and did many of them post-retirement. However, his favorite hobby was scratch tickets, and he made regular visits to the YNOT convenience store in Somerville to get his supply. He looked forward to a refreshing G&T in the nice weather, and settled into a Maker’s Mark and water on cold winter evenings.

Beloved husband of 53 years to Barbara (Byrne). Cherished father of Samantha and partner Doug Tracy of Phoenix, AZ, and Michael and wife Kelly of Somerville, MA. Adored Papa to Jackson and Finley. Loving brother-in-law to Josie and Marge. He will be missed by many nieces, nephews and friends from all corners of his life. He is predeceased by his parents John E. and Sophie M. (Gaina) Bernis, brothers John (Bill) and Walter (Wally) and nephew Walter Jr. (Wally).

Family and friends are invited to honor and remember Ed’s life by gathering for a Visiting Hour at St. Catherine’s Church in Somerville, MA, on Friday March 20, 2026 from 11:00am-12:00pm, followed by a funeral Mass at 12:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ed’s memory may be made to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund or to Mass General Cancer Center.