BERNADETTE CICCONE

MEMORIAL DONATIONS CAN BE MADE IN BERNADETTE'S NAME TO: JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PBA LOCAL 190 1032 WELDON ROAD OAK RIDGE, NEW JERSEY 07438 OR TO: DEBORAH HOSPITAL FOUNDATION HEART AND LUNG CENTER www.deborahfoundation.org/donate Bernadette Louise Ciccone November 29, 1938 – July 11, 2026 Bernadette Louise Ciccone, 87, of Lake Hopatcong, NJ, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at St. Clare's Hospital in Denville, NJ. She was born on November 29, 1938, in Jersey City, NJ, to Margaret Kelly Coppinger and Joseph Coppinger. She held plenty of titles over the years, but the one that mattered most had nothing to do with work. That belonged to being a mother and, eventually, Grandma and Gigi. Her great-grandchildren arrived late in her life and lit it up completely. Just seeing them walk into any room was enough to make her whole day. Photos and videos of them were never far from her hands, and she never tired of watching them. Bingo ran her schedule for decades. Ask any of her kids where she was on a given afternoon and the answer was never in doubt. She made a whole circle of friends there over the years, the kind who show up for each other outside the bingo hall too. Once bingo gave way to something quieter, scratch-offs took over as a favorite pastime with family and friends. The Yankees had her full attention whenever a game was on. So did a good Western. The kitchen was where she really shined. Her cinnamon cake and cupcakes earned a reputation, and nobody left her table still hungry. At any given moment, there was always enough food ready to feed a small army, just in case that army decided to stop by. But it was usually just members of the Jefferson Township Police Department who she’d adopted as family over the years. Some of our fondest family memories were made around her table. She never lost her edge. Right up to the end, she was still quick with a comeback and always good for a laugh. Her love was fierce from the start, and it only grew as her family did. She was stubborn about what mattered to her, loved without holding back, and always let you know exactly where she stood. Ask anyone who knew her and you'll hear it in some form: she was the kind of person you don't get twice in a lifetime. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Johnson in 1967; her second husband Nicholas Ciccone in 1996; her mother Margaret Kelly Coppinger in 1976; her father Joseph Coppinger in 1973; her sisters Margaret and Jacqueline; her brother John; and her son Joseph Johnson in 2018. Bernadette is survived by her sons Arthur Johnson and Nicholas Ciccone II (Joyce); her sisters Patricia, Elizabeth, Sharon, and Meredith; her brother Francis; her daughter-in-law Charlanne (James); her cherished grandchildren Matthew (Priscilla), Brittany (Aiman), Kathryn (Thomas), Abigail, and Elias; her adored great-grandchildren JJ, Amelia, and Aila; along with many other family members and friends who loved her. In keeping with her wishes, there will be no funeral services. Her family will hold a celebration of her life, with details announced at a later date. Memorial donations can be made in Bernadette’s name to: Jefferson Township PBA Local 190; 1032 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 or to Deborah Hospital Foundation Heart and Lung Center www.deborahfoundation.org/donate

BERNADETTE CICCONE

November 29, 1938 - July 11, 2026