Bernard John Dedinsky's Obituary
BERNARD JOHN DEDINSKY (Nov. 27, 1926 – Dec. 30, 2018) was born in Whiting, Indiana, to Julia Beda and Joseph Dedinsky. He had one sister, Margaret. Bernie attended Whiting Elementary and Hammond Vocational High. He enlisted in the Army in March, 1945 at Ft. Sheridan, IL, was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA for Parachutist training and at Ft. Bragg, NC for Light Artillery training. In 1946, he served in post-war Japan as a water purification specialist. In 1948-52, he served in the Enlisted Reserves, and was called up in 1950-51 for duty in South Korea. Corporal Dedinsky received an honorable discharge in 1952.
After his time in Japan, Bernie became a Chicago fireman and was later an officer with the Fire Prevention Bureau. Throughout his arduous and dangerous 40-year career, it was a vocation he served well and with true bravery. For decades, on his days away from the firehouse, his mechanical prowess was put to good use, as Bernie became a master carpenter, plumber and electrician, rehabbing every type of building around Chicago.
In 1953, he married the vivacious Trish Carlino, to whom he was a devoted husband for sixty years. A gregarious and fun-loving couple, they had a wonderful life in a close-knit South Chicago neighborhood, with many friends and a trove of delightful memories.
After his retirement, Bernie and Trish relocated to Lake County, FL. Bernie volunteered at both Leesburg Regional and Waterman Hospitals, until he found his next ‘career’ – as a volunteer with the community theaters as a carpenter and jack-of-all trades. In the late 1990s, he settled in at the IceHouse Theatre in Mount Dora, building scenery for nearly a hundred productions over the course of sixteen years of skilled and dedicated service. In 2008, the IceHouse created an annual accolade called ‘The Bernie Award,’ to recognize outstanding volunteerism; and Bernie bestowed that proud honor each season at the Cubie Awards, to a fellow-volunteer.
Bernie never met a stranger – he remembered the names and life stories of everyone he ever met – and was greeted with sincerely enthusiastic cries of “Bernie!” as he entered any establishment. His wry anecdotes will be recalled by the thousands of people whose lives he touched.
He is survived by a loving family: sisters-in-law, Donna Jansen Carlino and Dawn Carlino Oliver, and nieces and nephews: Darci and Denise Carlino, Renee, Alise, Kevin (& Karen), Joe (& Kathleen) Oliver, great-nieces and great-nephews, Kelsea and Joseph Blazek, as well as Gabriel, Patrick (& Vanessa) and Elizabeth Oliver. His IceHouse ‘family’ is also a vast circle of performers, designers, technicians and volunteers, by whom he will be sadly missed.
Donations in his honor made to ‘The IceHouse Theatre’ will be generously matched by a group of donors, and these funds will be earmarked towards future planned expansion and improvements of the theatre facility. In lieu of a funeral service, a Celebration of Bernie’s Life will take place at the IceHouse Theatre at a date to be determined. Contact Darlin Barry at the IceHouse Theatre, (352) 383-3133, ext. 3, for further information on that event.
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