Albert Alfred DiBernardo, 81, of Boynton Beach, Fla.
Albert Alfred DiBernardo, died on June 16, 2017. Albert was born on June 29, 1935 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Alfred and Louise Iannoco DiBernardo.
He was proceeded in death by his beloved brother, Robert.
“Big Al” or DiBo as he was lovingly known, attended prestigious Brooklyn Tech High School, and from there, City College of New York, where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, as one of it’s best hitting pitchers in the school’s history. He then received his Master’s Degree in Physical Education and Health from NYU. After serving in the Army as Military Police, Al, a fabulous athlete, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and pitched in Yankee Stadium. His love of baseball took the family years later on a one year trip to live, coach, play in the fledgling Professional Italian Baseball League in Rimini, Italy.
From a page taken right out of “Dirty Dancing,” Al met his beautiful wife Barbara at a camp in the Catskill Mountains of N.Y.; she was a camper and he was a counselor. Little did they know that they would return to work, settle, and raise their family in West Hurley, N.Y. In 1963, Al took a position as a professor at Ulster County Community College in Stone Ridge, N.Y., where he founded the athletic department and also coached literally every sport! As Athletic Director, Professor and Coach for 30 years, as the family came to learn during his most recent illness, he had a profound impact on so many of his players and students, extending far beyond the field and classroom.
Albert is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Barbara Ritter DiBernardo of Boynton Beach, Fla.; his daughter Lisa DiBernardo, Esq. (Kimberly Regester) of Lancaster, Pa.; sons, Louis DiBernardo, MD (Ryan Jones) of Durham, N.C., and Ian DiBernardo, Esq. (Amy), of New York, N.Y., and their five-yearold son, Jake, the light of Albert’s life, who has inherited his poppie’s love of baseball, and who is already showing a strong left arm! Nephew Robert DiBernardo, (Leigh) and their twins Ruby and Graham, and his sister-in- law, Sherry Heller (Rick) and extended family.
Al was blessed by many wonderful friends both old and new, and wanted each and every one to know that he loved them.
Funeral services will be held on June 24, 2017, at 11 a.m. at the Palm Beach National Chapel, Lake Worth, Fla. He will then be buried in the National Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Greater Boynton Chapter of Pap Corps.