Bernadine Malinoski, a respected nurse and military veteran, passed away on August 28, 2025, at the age of 98. Her final days were spent at the Horsham Center for Jewish Life in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Born on August 16, 1927, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late John and Frances (Stabinski) Malinoski.
Malinoski graduated from J. W. Cooper High School in 1944 and earned her nursing degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Nursing in Philadelphia in 1948. She furthered her education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College and obtained a doctorate in Public Health Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A Distinguished Military Career
During her distinguished career, Malinoski served as a military nurse, initially as an Army-Air Corps flight nurse during World War II. She later transferred to the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, retiring in 1980 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Throughout her service, she was part of the 69th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and received the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service in the Air Force Reserve.
Malinoski was actively involved in several professional organizations, including the Thomas Jefferson Alumni Association and the American Public Health Association. Her contributions to the field of nursing extended beyond her military service; she was the Director of Education and Nursing Services in Philadelphia and played a significant role in a public health organization in Maryland. She also taught Public Health Nursing at the University of Michigan and Penn State University.
A Legacy of Service and Family
Throughout her career, Malinoski was known for her extensive publications related to nursing and public health. Her commitment to education and healthcare left a lasting impact on her students and colleagues alike. She was a dedicated member of the St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church in Shenandoah, where she was active in the community.
In addition to her parents, Malinoski was preceded in death by her brothers, Jack, Francis, and Anthony Malinoski, as well as her sisters, Victoria, Joan, and Grace Mazurkiewicz. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Roseanne Malinoski, and several nieces and nephews, including Lynn Malinoski Conlin and her family, and John, Gary, and Michael Malinoski, along with their respective families.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on September 3, 2025, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Oravitz Home for Funerals Inc. in Shenandoah. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. at Divine Mercy Parish Sacred Worship Site – St. Casimirs, officiated by Msgr. Ronald Bocian. Interment will take place at St. Casimirs Cemetery in Shenandoah Heights.
