Bernstein, Abraham S

Dr. Abraham Saul Bernstein passed away peacefully on December 31, 2023 at UCONN Health Center in Farmington, CT.

Dr. Bernstein was born in 1927 in Brooklyn, NY to Samuel (a baker) and Sophie Bernstein (a homemaker). He attended public schools, then New York University for both undergraduate (Phi Beta Kappa) and medical degrees. He served in the US Navy toward the end of WWII. Dr. Bernstein was in private practice in New Britain, CT from 1954 to 2005. He was affiliated with New Britain General Hospital as an intern, a resident, and senior attending physician in internal medicine. He served as past president of the New Britain Medical Society and for many years as attending physician at Lexington Convalescent Home. He was a member of Temple B'nai Israel in New Britain and, later, Temple Beth El in West Hartford.

Dr. Bernstein had a lifelong love of theater and music, particularly the operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan, which he shared with his family, friends and patients, often singing to them in his office and while on rounds. He was frequently in the audience at the Hartford Symphony and Long Wharf Theater. For many years, he wrote and performed unique adaptations of popular tunes to celebrate each of NBGH'S residents individually as part of their graduation festivities. He was also a Shakespeare and English history buff, able to spontaneously recite choice passages from the plays, as well as the royal lines of succession going back to the middle ages and beyond. He loved to travel, spanning the globe in his many adventures, documenting the trips with his collection of cameras, and presenting the results in elaborate slide shows. He was also a natural linguist, conversant in Yiddish, and picked up phrases and expressions from his patients, acquaintances, and total strangers during his travels.

Dr.bernstein is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Estelle ("The best wife what I ever had"), a sister, Beatrice, and by his three children Dori, Judith and Howard. A fourth child, Richard, predeceased him. He had five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, all of them, he liked to joke, "above average."

Funeral services will be held at noon, Tuesday January 2, at Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT, followed by interment at Beth Alom Cemetary, 46 Allen Street, New Britain, CT. The family will gather for Shiva for 3 - 6 PM on January 2 and from 1 - 4 PM Wednesday January 3 at 60 Cassandra Boulevard, Apartment 302, West Hartford, CT. Dr. Bernstein supported many worthy causes. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a preferred charity in his name.

May his memory be a blessing.

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