Mrs. Bernadette English

Bernadette (Tighe) English of Alpharetta, Georgia passed away on January 22, 2024. She was just shy of her 90th birthday, and was with her family and friends in her last days. Although Bernie was a U.S. citizen at the time of her death, she remained devoted to her birthplace – Dublin, Ireland. As James Joyce once said: “When I die, Dublin will be written on my heart.” And so it was with Bernie. Bernadette Tighe was born and reared in the Drumcondra neighborhood of Dublin, surrounded by her loving parents and four siblings, with whom she was close throughout their lives. She was a parishioner of Corpus Christi parish in Drumcondra and educated at the parish school. In 1952, she met her husband, William R. (Bob) English, another Dubliner from Glasnevin. They married in 1956, after a courtship that included motorcycle outings in the Wicklow Mountains and picnics by the Irish Sea. Bernie and Bob were married for over 46 years until Bob’s passing in 2003. Their marriage was notable for its love, mutual support, good humor, and gracious hospitality to all who entered their home. Bernie worked as a secretary for the engineering firm Babcock and Wilcox in London and New York. Bernie and Bob moved to the United States in the late 1950’s, a courageous and life-changing decision to leave their Irish home and families. They lived first in Queens, New York, and eventually lived many years in Selden and Port Jefferson on Long Island, where Bernie raised her three children and made many friends. She also worked as a legal secretary for several law firms, where she was highly respected for her experience and knowledge of the law. Throughout her life, Bernie returned many times to Dublin to visit family and the city she loved. Eventually, Bernie and Bob relocated to Georgia to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Bernie – now known to her grandchildren and their friends as Nana – was a daily presence and influence in her grandchildren’s lives at their schools, sporting events, Irish dance competitions, parishes, and homes. Although a tender and loving grandmother, she also was known to lay down the law when necessary, often with a subtle dose of Irish humor. Although Bernie proudly became a naturalized American citizen in 1976, she never lost her soft Dublin accent or her love of Irish culture, which she imparted in myriad small ways to her family. Throughout her life, Bernie was a devout Catholic who attended Mass on Sundays and days of holy obligation, and often on weekdays as well. She loved the beach, classic movies, traveling with family, returning to Dublin, and most of all, her three children and seven grandchildren, who hold her dear in their hearts. Bernadette is preceded in death by her husband, William R. English. She is survived by her daughter, Tracy (Lawrence) Bracken; her son, Marc (Bernadette) English; her son, Paul (Dawn Bowker) English ; her grandchildren, Liam (Natalie) Bracken, Tara (John) Davis, Alana Bracken, Megan English, Brendan English, Colleen English and Sean English; and her great grandchildren, Bennett and Lila Bracken, and a baby girl on the way. A memorial mass will be held at Saint Brigid Catholic Church in Johns Creek at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024, followed by a luncheon at the Hamilton in downtown Alpharetta. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Bernie’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

Mrs. Bernadette English

February 15, 1934 - January 22, 2024