Matilda Bergeron

Matilda Rita "Bonnie" Bergeron, 92, of Rochester, NH passed away at her home on May 28, 2021 after a battle with Covid-19. Born Matilda Rossi in Philadelphia to Charles A. and Catherine (Ruggeri) Rossi, she graduated from South Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1946, and went on to attend Peirce School of Business Administration, Temple University, and Rittenhouse College where she studied performing arts. A 1947 newspaper clipping found after her death, from the Rittenhouse student newspaper and captioned "Radio Rogues," shows a photo of Bonnie and fellow student Norman Fell reading their scripts into a shared microphone. Fell later became known for playing Mr. Roper on Three's Company, among many other film and television roles. In 1952 she married Joseph R. Donato. Their son, Joseph C. Donato was born in 1958.  After the end of her marriage in 1976, she worked in the Philadelphia school system, attaining her Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching certificate from Antioch University in 1987, after which she taught at Southwark Elementary School in South Philadelphia until her retirement in 1992. Born under the sign of Aquarius, she loved the ocean, and often told childhood memories of summers when the family would escape the heat of the city for their second home in Ventnor, New Jersey. Toward the end of her teaching career the pull of the ocean would bring her to Kennebunkport, Maine for summer vacations, near where in 1989 she met her future husband Kevin Bergeron. Upon retirement she moved to New Hampshire where for many years she was active in Community Theater, acting and singing in numerous productions throughout the area. She sang in several choirs and barbershop groups, and also with her husband's guitar accompaniment, entertaining at local talent shows and nursing homes. In addition she was a talented painter of ocean and nature scenes, and enjoyed playing piano. She was for many years an active member of the Wolfeboro Play Readers group. She enjoyed traveling, and visited Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Alaska, Hawaii, China, Kiribati, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Bahamas, and traveled frequently from New Hampshire to the Philadelphia/Atlantic City area for memorable visits with family and friends. In later years she enjoyed shorter travels, such as scenic car rides with her husband with a stop at an ice cream stand, or for dinner at a restaurant, or sometimes just sitting in her recliner with her cat at her side, the two of them watching the birds at the feeder outside the window. She lived and loved life to the fullest to the end, and as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, sister, wife, aunt, teacher, cousin and friend, touched the lives of many who will not forget. She is survived by her husband Kevin Bergeron of Rochester, NH; a son, Joseph C. Donato and his wife Karen, of Ventnor, NJ; two grandchildren, Kristina Donato of Brigantine, NJ, and Joseph R. Donato and his wife Stephanie, of Ventnor, NJ; a great grandson, Joseph D. Donato of Ventnor, NJ; two nephews, Charles S. Rossi and his wife Helen, of Lewes, DE, and Stephen Rossi and his wife Nancy Hellmuth of Levittown, PA; and sister-in-law Maryann Rossi of Sicklerville, NJ. She is preceded in death by a brother, Charles P. "Chuck" Rossi, of Sicklerville, NJ. Visitation will be held June 7 from 10 to 11 AM at Edgerly Funeral Home in Rochester, NH, followed by services at 11 AM in the Edgerly Chapel. Burial at the New Cold Spring Cemetery in East Rochester, NH will be held following services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Cornerstone VNA Hospice, at 178 Farmington Road, Rochester, NH 03867.