Obituary of Marshall L. Bernstein

Marshall L. Bernstein, 64, peacefully passed away February 1, 2024, surrounded by family and close friends. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 24, 1959, Marshall later moved to Montville, N.J. He was a graduate of Montville Township High School in 1977. He then attended Rutgers University where he studied economics and political science, graduating in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree. Marshall remained an avid fan of Rutgers basketball and football for the rest of his life. He had season basketball tickets since 1982, and one of his most cherished activities was Saturday tailgates with family and friends in the Blue Lot before Rutgers football games. You could find Marshall manning the grill under the giant “Leisure Club” flag, usually in the second row (he was always one of the first to arrive to secure the spot). He attended many of the basketball games with his college roommate and best friend, Ernest Marateo. In addition to Rutgers athletics, Marshall was a huge fan of the Jets and Mets. But for Marshall, sports were never about wins or losses; he relished the time watching the games with those closest to him -- Sunday football with his dad and, in recent years, every single Mets game with his beloved wife, Joan. Marshall met Joan at Joey’s in Clifton, N.J., in 1984 . They wed on Sept. 20, 1987, and were married for 36 years . They lived together in Hamilton and Yardville, but settled in New Egypt, N.J., with their two daughters, Jessica and Lindsay. Family was extremely important to Marshall, and he spent countless hours with Jessica and Lindsay, going to Bruce Springsteen shows, catching Ranger Games at Madison Square Garden, attending Broadway shows, vacationing and attending countless field hockey games, school plays, and band concerts. Marshall and Joan left New Egypt in 2014, and retired together in Cape May, N.J. The two created fond memories in Cape May, spending many lunch dates watching the arrival of the Cape May-Lewes ferry with their dog, Willy. During any major storm, Marshall and Joan would go to North Wildwood to watch the waves crash against the seawall. They also developed a fondness for bird watching. For 33 years, Marshall worked at Motorola Solutions, retiring in 2018 as an area sales manager in the New Jersey and Long Island region. He took an immense amount of pride in the product he sold, public safety radio systems, and how it saved countless lives. He could spend hours talking about cellular technology. Marshall was named “Sales Person of the Year” three consecutive years – 2000, 2001 and 2002 –and became a member of the Galvin Masters in 2004. The Galvin Masters is among the most prestigious awards Motorola has as a company. A year after retirement, he would earn one of his greatest life achievements – becoming “Poppy” to his first granddaughter, Josie. He adored Josie, and spent much of his early retirement babysitting, which included trips to the Cape May Zoo, the park and local farms. In 2022, Marshall’s second granddaughter, Ruth, was born. It wasn’t long before Ruth could say “Poppy” and she also developed a special bond with her grandfather. In retirement, Marshall and Joan also enjoyed traveling – driving cross country, celebrating their 30 th wedding anniversary in Aruba, seeing the Mets play in spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and going on river cruises in Europe. Marshall also played some of his best golf in retirement and was a member at the Avalon Golf Club in Cape May Courthouse. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge in New Egypt, No. 2457, and in the Greater Cape May region, No. 2839. Marshall is survived by Joan Bernstein and their two daughters, Lindsay Bernstein and her husband, Joshua Luger, of Bordentown, N.J.; Jessica Napoliello and her husband, Alexander Napoliello, of Ocean Township, N.J.; his father, Donald Bernstein, of Cape May, N.J.; sister Cheryl Hebb and her husband, Brian Hebb, of Victoria, British Columbia; sister Kimberly Bauer and her husband, Kevin Bauer, of New Port Richey, Florida; brother Michael Bernstein and his wife, Lynn Bernstein, of Sparta, N.J.; And granddaughters Josie and Ruth Napoliello. He was also a beloved uncle and friend. The family plans to do a “celebration of life” ceremony at a later date.