Bernadette Hooper

September 27, 1925 - February 3, 2024

Bernadette Ruane Hooper was born in San Francisco on September 27, 1925 and died here on February 3, 2024, in the company of family and friends. She was proud to be a second generation San Franciscan and was fascinated by the history and people of San Francisco and California. Family vacations included travel throughout California, stopping at almost every historical marker. She taught her children an appreciation for diversity and the importance of compassion.

Bernadette was the third of four children of Patrick J. Ruane (b. Galway) and Evelyn Loftus (b. San Francisco) and the last to survive. She grew up in the Mission District with her older sisters, Patricia Fealy (Thomas) and Mary Evelyn Bisazza (Mario); and her younger brother, Gerald Ruane (Noel). She was a graduate of St. James Girls’ School and Immaculate Conception Academy where she made lifelong friends. There, the Dominican Sisters inspired a love of reading and history, an extensive vocabulary and perfect penmanship. After graduation, she worked at the Hibernia Bank and the Parker Pen Company. Bernadette married David Hooper (dec.) and they were blessed with five children, Denise (dec.) (Bill Patterson (dec.)), Marcia (dec.) David (Lisa Dunseth), Valerie (James Lienkaemper) and Bernadette whom they raised in the Mission District. She enjoyed being “Nana” to her granddaughter, Caitlin Lienkaemper.

She was particularly close to her Bisazza nieces, Maureen (dec.), Kathleen, Evelyn, Patricia, Suzanne and Antoinette. Bernadette is also survived by her sisterin-law, Noel Ruane; her nieces, Rochelle Ruane, and Jane and Bernadette Fealy; and her nephews, Kevin and Stephen Ruane and Thomas, Patrick, Lawrence, Michael and John Fealy; as well as her Ruane, Kelleher, Loftus and Malloy cousins in the U.S., Ruane and Sweeney cousins in Ireland and Parsons cousins in the U.K.

After her children were raised, Bernadette moved to the Inner Sunset, took long walks and made new friends. She returned to work, took evening classes at USF and attended meetings of the World Affairs Council and The Civil War Round Table. For many years she was at Lotta’s Fountain at 5:12 a.m., on April 18. She considered voting a sacred duty, and served as a poll worker for 27 elections.

Bernadette was “part of the family” at St. Anne’s Home, Little Sisters of the Poor for five and a half years. We are grateful for the loving, and professional care she received from the Sisters, staff and volunteers. Her family thanks those who called, visited or sent greetings to her in her final years.

There will be a graveside remembrance March 11, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernadette’s memory may be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor, St. Anne’s Home, 300 Lake Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94118.