The tower at the Memorial Municipal Building (Town Hall) contains a 50-bell carillon. The carillon was a gift to the town by Walter F. Tilton given at the time of the original building construction in 1928. Quoting from the original deed of gift, Walter F. Tilton said, “It is my wish that this carillon may for all time serve as a memorial to and a reminder of the patriotic service and devotion of all Citizens of Norwood who have given of their lives, their health, their strength, their thought, their comfort and means that this nation might live. It is my wish that these bells may keep fresh the memory of that sacrifice and service, and by such reminder, ever sound the call of Good Citizenship.”

Norwood Assistant Town Manger Bernard S. Cooper, better known to all as Bernie, passed away on Sunday, January 24 after a brief bout with cancer. Bernie was a man who took that call of good citizenship to heart every day of his adult life. Born February 24, 1948, Bernie graduated from Norwood High, class of 1965 and Tufts University. He subsequently served the Town of Norwood, all of its citizens and three town managers for 49 years as Assistant Town Manager and Civil Defense Director. 

Former superintendent of the Recreation Department, Jerry Miller, attended high school with Bernie. 

“He was very studious and voted most likely to succeed,” Miller said. “And he did! He would come to school carrying a briefcase and wearing a bow tie every day, and being high school boys some of us used to tease him a little. When I came in to be interviewed for the job for the rec department, I had to interview with Bernie. I said to myself, ‘Oh boy, this is a kid I used to tease in high school and he’s now in a position to hire me.’”

Obviously, Bernie was not one to hold a grudge because he hired Miller.

Miller said that Bernie was always supportive. 

“He was a tremendous guy ... whenever you needed anything, he would be there to help you out,” Miller commended. “Whatever we did together – the parades, Norwood Day, The Last Hurrah, theroad races – he would be there. He had Norwood’s interest at heart all the time. We used to joke about the fact that as a Jewish fellow, he was the one who ran the Christmas program for the town. 

And he was so knowledgeable – he was like the shell answer-man. He knew everything and if he didn’t know, he knew how to get the answer. I’m shocked that he is gone. I went to school with him ... worked with him for 45 years ... In fact, we were working on the 150th year anniversary for the town when he was sick. Even then, he was still working to help the town. He never took a day off, he was always there. I’ll really miss him,” Miller said sadly.

When contacted for comment, former Town Manager John Carroll reminisced fondly of his former colleague and friend.

“I am just heartbroken,” Carroll said. “I was just thinking about Bernie. He was a great husband to Connie, a great father to Sam, Alisha, Josh and Amelia, a great assistant to me – even though I had to get after him about his desk a few times – and a great friend.  He really cared about the town and its people.  We had lunch together nearly every day for 39 years. That’s over 9000 lunches. You really get close to someone when you eat together that often.”

When Mazzucco was first hired, Carroll advised him to have lunch in public every day as a way of connecting with the community as well as forging relationships with staff. He has followed that advice. And while he hasn’t had as many lunches with Bernie as John did, he’s had quite a few. 

“Bernie never met a vegetable that he liked!” Mazzucco said. “If there was even a piece of lettuce on his plate, he would scrunch up his face in distaste.

Bernie and I became fast friends. We were attached at the hip six days a week. We spoke many times each day ... in the evening, early morning, every weekend and most holidays.  During all of the storms, all of the meetings, and the lunches with Tom (McQuaid), Bernie was always there.  I'll miss his smile, his advice and his knowledge, but most of all, his good nature.  Bernie simply was the absolute best a human being could be! “

The amount of institutional knowledge that Bernie carried with him was phenomenal. He was always willing to share that knowledge, and to dive in to help resolve any issue that the town or its citizenry faced. He was truly a dedicated public servant.

Cathy Carney, Norwood’s Director of Administrative Services, began working for the town in 1984 reporting directly to Bernie. She said she always considered him more as a mentor than a co-worker. 

“He was really great in that role,” Carney said. “Bernie taught me so much ... about government ... about town meeting ... and how to deal with people in general.  He was very kind and he had such a calm way about him ... mellow ... easy going. He was also great as a sounding board and was a calming influence on many people who visited town hall, both employees and residents. I’ve never seen Bernie get angry with anyone and I’ve only ever heard him say good things about people.

He was great with budgets and great with numbers and he did the insurance and workers comp. But, I saw his most important and impressive role as the ‘man of the community’ – he did the outreach, worked with all of the community groups, and dealt with any issues that came up. He made people feel that they and their issues were important. To the department heads and anyone who wanted to get something done, Bernie was the go-to guy. And he knew how to talk you off the ledge.

He was also one of the smartest guys I know. He had a great institutional knowledge, but also knowledge of many different things.  It was mind-boggling to me that he knew so much about so many things.”

So, Bernie had no flaws? No quirks or foibles that people chided him about except that he didn’t like vegetables? That question brought a chuckle from more than one person. Remember the comment John Carroll made about having to get after him about his desk? It turns out it was more than one desk.

Carney gave the most interesting response. 

“Do you remember the fire in the General Manager’s office on Good Friday about 10 years ago?” she asked. “It required that certain offices be redone and Bernie’s was one of them. I asked where he wanted his desk and Bernie said, ‘I have to have 2 desks, 2 computers and 2 phones.’ Within a month, the two desks were covered with paper, the file cabinets were filled with paper, and there was no room to sit on any of the chairs because each was stacked high with papers.”

“Bernie kept physical copies of everything,” Carney continued. “Sometimes the paper would be piled 2-3 feet high and we’d joke and say we had to check on Bernie because we haven’t heard from him in a while – he might be buried under all the paper.” 

Miller corroborated her story. Bernie would call him to his office for a meeting but there would be nowhere to sit, so Bernie would pick up a 3-foot stack of paper and put it on top of another stack so Miller could sit down.

“Bernie was a collector of things – not just physical things,” Carney said. “His mind just absorbed all kinds of information. I don’t think there are many people out there that could do that ... that could recall everything they learned or things that they were told or people they met. Someone would walk in and he would say, ‘That’s Mr. so and so ... he used to come into my father’s store.’ Bernie was just an unbelievable man when it came to his knowledge and capability to teach you.” 

Carney said she worked on the budget with Bernie for 25-28 years. He was responsible for the carillon. 

“He loved those bells and could tell you everything about them,” Carney said.  “Restoration and maintenance of the carillon was his pet project. Every now and then when John Carroll was at Town Meeting, if Bernie wasn’t there yet, John would say, ‘Cath, watch this! Zero out or give $100 to the carillon account and see what Bernie does.’” 

She recalled with a chuckle: “Bernie would come in, look at the budget and say, “Cut the crap, John.” and put down what he thought was needed for the carillon. John would try to get him going sometimes, but Bernie never got upset. He would just chastise John and put the money in the budget that he thought was needed to take care of it.”

Most of the carillon is in Virginia being refurbished, but Tony Mazzucco rang a bell for Bernie the day of his funeral. 

“Bernie was the champion of the bells,” Mazzucco said. “If it hadn’t been for him over the past 30-40 years, people in the town would have just forgotten aboutthe carillon – and it would have just sat up there and deteriorated. It is fitting that Bernie Cooper’s name will be inscribed on one of the bells in his honor!

It turns out a lot of the work Bernie did for the town was behind the scenes. Norwood Selectmen and department heads echoed many of the words that those quoted here have said in one way or another. Smart. Kind. Unassuming. Accommodating. A people person. 

George Usevich, long-time former principal of Norwood High School, remembers Bernie this way: 

“Bernie was always seen around town wearing a baseball cap,” Usevich recalled. “Under that hat he might have been short in stature, but he was a person who had a very big heart. He was willing to do anything to help those in need. He would most often shun the spotlight and remain behind the scenes. He was a mild-mannered, soft spoken, kind, compassionate individual who worked tirelessly to get things done. He was that go-to person if you had a particular problem or concern. He always gave solid advice and would always steer you in the right direction. He and Connie would often be seen with their four talented children participating in various school activities and events. A proud graduate of ‘the school on the hill’ and a true son of Norwood, Bernie Cooper will forever be remembered as someone who made a difference in his beloved town. He bled Norwood blue!”

Carney summed up her many years working with Bernie: 

“Bernie wasn’t just a bureaucrat who pushed paper,” Carney said. “He was somebody who was really involved in the town and really took an interest in what was going on. His hands were in everything. Taking care of the town and being there for whatever the town needed him to do... that was his life.”

In addition to his name being inscribed on one of the carillon bells, the town is preparing a tribute video, and a scholarship will be established in his name. According to Mazzucco, there’s sure to be more to come. 

“We are just beginning to celebrate his life and his legacy,” Mazzucco said. 

To Connie, Sam, Alisha, Josh, Amelia and Michael, we grieve with you in the loss of your husband and father.  Bernie was an important part of so many of our lives and has impacted so many people.  We are grateful that you shared him with us and with Norwood.  Our whole community shares in your sorrow, and we hope we can comfort and strengthen you during this difficult time.