Olivia Bernabei (née DePastina), died on March 19, 2026, after attaining her centenarian status.

Born on June 10, 1925 in Trenton, New Jersey to Robert and Giulia DePastina, Olivia was a prospective writer, won storytelling awards, was a Red Team Captain, and was voted homecoming queen at Trenton High School. At the College of Wooster in Ohio, she received honors in chemistry class, won the Delta Phi Alpha Prize in German, and represented her class in the Student Senate twice. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Wooster as a psychology major, she went on to continue graduate work in economics at Temple University in Philadelphia and Columbia University in New York City. From 1952 to 1962, Olivia worked at AT&T in New York City, first as PR staff, but spent the majority of her time as a magazine writer. She arranged for photographs and interviews and met with Amy Vanderbilt, Ivy Baker Priest, then US Treasurer, and Loretta Young. She returned home to New Jersey to work at the Trenton Times, interviewing and corresponding with an even wider variety of famous faces, from James Michener to Pope Paul VI.

In 1968, she married Anthony Bernabei, a Princeton graduate, and after living briefly in Brussels from 1972 to 1974, they found a home in Fort Worth, Texas, where she collected more accolades by becoming President of the Fort Worth Garden Club.

They visited Princeton every year to see family and participate in the renowned P-Rade. But after Tony’s death and upon her return to New Jersey in December 2017, Olivia continued to attend the P-Rade and enjoyed her life in Princeton, insistent on walking everywhere and often. Beyond the memories of her time in Fort Worth, which she spoke of endlessly and fondly, she also brought back a love of Texas whiskey, which she shared at lunch or dinner with good company to enjoy it.

Known affectionately as “Aunt Lily”, she is preceded in death by her husband Tony, her niece Linny, and great-niece Jeanine, and survived and celebrated by:

- Her nieces and nephews: Marty, Bobby, Liz, and Chuck

- Her great-nieces and nephews: Christopher, Dante, Giulia, Brian, Caroline, Lorraine, Chuck, Erin, Barbara, and Nancy

- Her great-great niece and nephews: Anderson, Jillian, Christian, Michael, Jackson, Noah, Camille, Mattie, Victoria, James, and Mark

In 1954 Lily wrote a poem reflective of her own imminent journey that seems apropos/ a culmination of her entire life:

“Once upon a village tale

New Jersey sent a dark female

To the city.

‘It’s much too small,’

This chick would bawl.

Gee? What an ol’ bitty!

What did this dark New Jersey dame

Who wanted love? Adventure? Fame?

She took the world in her mit-ty!

Europa via the Liberte

And home the only fashionable way

And now is this girl witty!”

A Celebration of Life of this New Jersey dame will take place at a future date.

Donations honoring Olivia’s memory are welcome to either of the following:

Fort Worth Garden Club

Trenton Museum of Ellarslie

And remember to stay witty.

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