Mary Bernice Pinelli

Mary Bernice Pinelli was born September 2, 1919 in Elyria, Ohio. She was one of six children in the O'Donnell clan. She met our father, Roy W. Pinelli, when he was attending Notre Dame and she was attending the nursing program at St. Vincent Charity Hospital. They married in 1942 when he was in medical school. Together they had ten children, Timothy, Roy, Anthony (deceased), Catherine (deceased), Marianne (deceased), John, David (deceased), Mary Bernice, Robert and Michael.

Mom was a great mother. She was totally devoted to her family and did most of the work around the house with little help. She supported our dad and was always there for all of us. She had an uplifting spirit and always with a smile. Mom was a beautiful woman both inside and out. She had a big heart and was always concerned about her children, no matter how long they were out of the house. She had many grandchildren and great grandchildren. When we were growing up mom had an open house for all the neighborhood kids. Many of the them in our area came to know our mother like a second mom. She was a great cook and enjoyed preparing many meals for us. Mom loved and cared for the dogs, Humphrey, Cinder, Vino, Sequoia, Honey, Lucca, Maggie and Oliver.

She was truly a class act in all of the ways you can imagine. She was a strong Catholic with many priest and nun friends throughout the years. Her strong faith helped her immensely through the most difficult times of losing four of her children and our dad. Mom was the perfect wife for dad. She supported him throughout his medical career and was always by his side, all the while maintaining a very active home life with all of us. In all she was the best of the best.

Donations preferred to Hanna Boy Center or Pets Lifeline, Sonoma, CA.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, July 21, at 10 AM at Saint Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Avenue, San Francisco. A private burial is planned at a later date at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.

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