Magnolia Hill Farm

Bernadette Stevenson Caruso was a warm and lovely twenty three year old wife and mother. Her friends and family describe her as a loving, devoted mother to her three year old daughter. Bernadette was the youngest of seven children in our family. She was my little sister. We were sisters sharing that special sister bond. Our lives were all entwined in the usual family ways, hanging out with siblings, getting our children together, celebrating family events and holidays. One of the last memories I have is shopping for Christmas tree trimmings together, it was important that our trees reflected our individual families and styles. It was a fun sister thing to do. I still remember our conversation was on bows, tinsel and ornaments. Sisters, there is nothing like them!

On September 27, 1986, Bernadette disappeared without a trace. She simply got off work and disappeared. Bernadette and her car just vanished. The lives of those she touched has never been the same. Her family and friends knew right away that Bernadette had met with foul play, she would never have left her family and little daughter. No leads, no information, no Bernadette. We still search for answers.

I remember Bernadette at Christmas time in a special way, Bernadette’s birthday was usually celebrated at our family’s Forth of July gathering. My daughter Sara Bernadette was born on New Years Eve in 1987, just in time to watch the fireworks with me as I had with her name sake, Aunt Bernadette on each birthday. What was more amazing was that Sara had come a month early.

This year as we have for the last twenty three years we will put up a Christmas tree for Bernadette and stand before it and say the promises that we have made in our hearts ” Bernadette, We miss you , we will never give up. We will bring you home.” Our family will gather as we decorate Bernadette’s tree having a glass of wine and sharing the memories of having had the gift of Bernadette in our lives. Our children, some who never got the chance to meet their aunt will again hear stories about her and continue to love their Aunt Bernadette simply because we have kept her alive in our hearts.

  Bernadette Stevenson Caruso