Helen Bernstein

March 28, 1934 - January 15, 2023

Helen Hourihan Bernstein passed away peacefully on January 15, 2023. She was surrounded by family and is now reunited in eternity with her late husband, Dr. Joseph Bernstein.

Born on March 28, 1934 in Malone, NY, Helen was the daughter of Robert and Charlotte Hourihan. Helen attended State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where she earned her Master’s degree in Nursing. She met Joe, the love of her life, while they both pursued their degrees in the medical field. The two were married at Schofield Barracks on O’ahu, Hawai’i on January 2, 1955, before moving to San Francisco later that year.

Helen was the proud mother of five children who survive her: Mark (Janie), John (Barbara), Sara (Manny) Chaves, David (Elizabeth), Matthew (Linda); grandchildren Heather Corini, Daniel (Helen) Corini, Jessica (Brock) Boyle, Michael and Nico Chaves, Jacob and Sam Bernstein. Helen is survived by her brother David (Jan) Hourihan, sister-in-law Bonnie Pomeranz, and numerous devoted nephews and nieces. Her brother, Charles (Lucille) Hourihan, preceded her in death.

Helen embodied what it means to be a matriarch and demonstrated enormous support and love for all her children and grandchildren. As an extremely dedicated grandparent, she attended countless athletic events and supported a myriad of academic ceremonies, all whilst maintaining a candid sense of humor with her friends and loved ones.

Helen was an avid supporter of Saint Ignatius College Preparatory. She took great pride in serving as Ignatian Guild President, in addition to serving on numerous committees of the school’s Board of Regents throughout the years. One of those committees was at the forefront of the decision for the school to become co-educational, a vision for the future of SI that was near and dear to her heart. In 1999, she and Joe were honored with SI’s President’s Award. Helen was extremely grateful for the numerous lifelong friendships she formed within the Saint Ignatius community, particularly Jesuit Fathers Carlin, Allender, Roide, Capitolo, Keenan, Prietto and Sauer, and her dear friend of more than fifty years, Brother Douglas Draper, S.J.

After decades of enjoying a career as an OB nurse, Helen pursued many of her passions. She befriended many as a docent at both the San Francisco Zoo and the California Academy of Sciences. She was an admirer of the arts, a fan of baseball, and an adventurous traveler. She and Joe enjoyed exploring the many corners of the world together.

The family is grateful to her loving and compassionate caregivers, Macario “Jun” and Riza Arcamo; her physician, Dr. Michael Harper, and the UCSF Care at Home team; the entire staff at The Carlisle; and the wonderful doctors and nurses at CPMC who ensured her final days were filled with comfort and grace.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Helen and Joseph Bernstein Scholarship Fund, Saint Ignatius College Preparatory.

A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 11:00 am at St. Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Avenue, San Francisco, CA.