Page 2 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 13, 2020 Malden native Bernice Berman reaches 100 years old milestone She grew up and lived in Malden until she was 93 before moving to Florence Levine Estates in Chelsea By Debbie Weisberg B ernice Berman cannot believe she turned 100 on November 7. She celebrated her milestone birthday at the Chelsea assisted living Cohen Florence Levine Estates with visits from her daughter, Janice Cohen, son-in-law, Larry Cohen, Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 granddaughter, Deborah, and great-granddaughter, Breanna. It was a special day for an exceptional woman. Growing up in Malden, Bernice and her sister, Ida Zaltzberg, were inseparable. Ida, who is four years younger than Bernice, was allowed to attend school with Bernice as a young child. She would sit in the back of the room while Bernice attended to her lessons. As they grew older, Bernice and Ida would clean the apartment together every Sunday morning, and then go to the movies together in the afternoon. To this day, Bernice and Ida are extremely close. In fact, Ida is also a resident at the assisted living. Met her husband, Ben Berman, on a blind date Bernice met her husband, Benjamin, on a blind date and the rest, as they say, is history. They married in 1943 and raised two daughters in a very loving, albeit busy, household. Even though Bernice moved out of the family home when she married, she and Ida remained very close, with Ida eating dinner at their home every Friday evening. Her daughter, Janice, recalls there was no such thing as takeout food in their house. “My mom was a wonderful cook and cooked every single day. You always knew the day of the week by what she had for dinner. Monday was dairy, such as mac & cheese; Tuesday was either steak or lamb chops; on Wednesdays was hamburger day, such as American chop suey or spaghetti and meatballs.” Added Janice, “We loved to tease her about keeping such a strict schedule, but secretly we all looked forward to the meal schedule.” In addition to working at General Electric, Ben Berman sold memberships for the American Library Association (ALA). Bernice helped him with member renewals, charming customers with her wit and persuasive manner. She also worked at a photography studio transferring black and white photos to color images. Over the years, Ben and Bernice enjoyed spending time with their two daughters and grandchildren. Once Ben retired, they went on many trips to Florida during the winter months. It was during those trips that they made many long-lasting friends. The couple were married for 53 years. Sadly, Ben passed away in 2003. Banking with a hometown touch. 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As Janice noted, “Her knowledge and perspective about the political climate, especially these days, is extremely perBernice Berman ceptive.” In 2013 Bernice moved into Cohen Florence Levine Estates in Chelsea and quickly became an integral party of the assisted living family. “Everyone just loves her,” said Kristen Donnelly, Director of Admissions and Resident Relations. “Bernice is kind, funny and a very big part of the Cohen Florence Levine family.” An avid Bingo player, Bernice can often be found singing at the weekly concerts, reading the newspaper in the library and holding court at mealtimes. Education was the priority in the Berman household When asked about her greatest achievement, Bernice was quick to respond. “I am so proud that Ben and I were able to provide our daughters with opportunities that were not available to us,” said Bernice. “Their education was our top priority.” One of Bernice’s greatest pleasures revolves around feeding people. 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