Obituary of Maureen C. Berner

A bright light went out today. Maureen Lucariello Berner, 83, of Greenhurst, New York, passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 in UPMC Chautauqua, after a long illness. Mrs. Berner retired from Key Bank after 17 years of service in 1985. A Greenhurst resident since 1993, she was born in Jamestown, New York on June 15, 1935 to Mauro and Harriet Putnam Lucariello. Maureen was a country girl at heart growing up in a house her father built with four brothers and one sister on Weaver Road in Bemus Point, New York. She was a lover of horses, competing in her 20's in barrel racing with her horse, Cuddles and later in her 50's and 60's, competing in holiday parades with her horse, Cody. She also dabbled in collecting antiques, especially orange glass, her favorite color. An avid gardener, Maureen enjoyed tending to her English garden and had quite the green thumb. She also loved to cook and bake. Her pasta, homemade pies and Christmas cookies were famous to all her family and friends. Maureen was quite the conversationalist. She could converse with just about anyone she met but especially enjoyed talking on the phone for hours to her 2 daughters who lived away. She also belonged to several clubs throughout her lifetime, some of which were the Chautauqua County Trail Riders, the Antique Car Club of America, Chautauqua County Chapter, the Thule Lodge Swedish Dancers, and the Jamestown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Maureen and her husband, Wil, travelled the US and world. Her favorite places to visit were Arizona, New England, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Germany. She also just recently took a trip with her daughter, Dana and 2 granddaughters, Lauren and Samantha, to Sweden last October. Surviving are her husband, Wilbur "Will" Berner, whom she married on June 22, 1984, two sons, Todd and Jarrod Hearburg, one stepson, David Berner, two daughters Dana (Danny) O'Donnell, Sheryl (Gerry) Purpura, one sister, Sylvia (Richard) Fiorello, three brothers, Patrick, Sam (Jennie) and Michael Lucariello, 5 grandchildren, Lauren Coderre, Kayla Hearburg, Shawnacee Chambers, Samantha Hearburg, and Brittany Berner, one great grandchild, Kaidence Booher, several nieces, nephews, cousins friends, and one special friend , Lisa Vitantonio. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Carl Hearburg, her brother Stephen Lucariello, and her granddaughter, Christa Hearburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am Thursday, March 28, 2019, in St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church, Bemus Point. The Rev. Todd Remick, pastor, will be celebrant. Burial will be in the Bemus Point Cemetery. Friends will be received from 5-8 pm Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in the Lind Funeral Home where a Christian Wake Service will be led at 7:45 pm Wednesday in the funeral home. The family suggests that memorials be made to Saint Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church, 42 Main St. Bemus Point, NY 14712 or the Thule Lodge Swedish Dance Team., c/o Donald Sandy, 430 Crossman St. Jamestown, NY 14701.