Obituary of Dr. Alan Bernstein

Alan Elihu Bernstein was born on March 31, 1932 and passed away on May 1, 2024 at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lynn, son Matthew (Jennifer Comparoni) Bernstein, daughters Adrienne (Ron) Morgan and Stephanie Bernstein, step-children Jane (Rick) Dyer, Jon (Teri) Fischbein, and Lizzie (Andy) Brown, grandchildren Madeline, Jack and Will Bernstein, Danielle (Mike) Daniello, Mollie, Cullen and Dillon Morgan, Carlie, Zachary, Gillian and Sam Wilson, and Lulu, Coco and Jack Rourke and step-grandchildren Hallie and Sam Dyer and Jasper and Sadie Brown. He is predeceased by his parents, Jack and Martha, and his brother, Mitchell. Alan was born and raised in Brooklyn where he passed the days playing street games like stickball, handball, punch and territory and where he met his lifelong friends, Donald Sheff and Marvin Sandler. Upon graduating college, Alan pursued his medical training at NYU and San Francisco General and then moved to Middletown, CT, where he became Chief of Orthopedics at Middlesex Memorial Hospital. He loved being a surgeon and thrived on both the intellectual challenge and the daily manual work with his hands. Family was central to Alan’s life. He lovingly raised three children with his wife of sixteen years, Judy Cary. In 1980 he married Lynn, the great love of his life and devoted partner through thick and thin. Alan and Lynn delighted in adventurous travel expeditions around the world and to local Chinese restaurants. They made great and wonderful friends, notably Neil Coughlan and Bob Levine. Alan and Lynn lived together in a home that they built in the woods at the end of a long dirt road, which they kept warm with their cherished wood burning stove and mutual adoration. Alan was capable. He could nail a total hip replacement in 15 minutes and pick a lobster clean like nobody’s business. Hetaught himself tennis, golf, skiing, and chess, which he enjoyed with easygoing geniality throughout his life. Alan was not a conformist. With his disdain for convention and unflappableself-confidence, he begat a unique granola production process, the butterfork, and his beloved lake in the woods, where he enjoyed sunning and skinny-dipping. Alan loved nature. He savored every season and would sit outside, watch the trees blow in the wind, and admire his “lawn”, which never needed mowing. Alan had a big heart and a great sense of humor. He was smiling and laughing until the very end. Alan led a good and full life. He will be missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Audubon Society.