Bernadette Musgrove
By Brooke C.
Bernadette Musgrove, born Bernadette Dunckley, spent her childhood in New York. Musgrove was born and raised on Long Island. She had two sisters, and six brothers. “I had a blast growing up,” Musgrove said, “We have a very close knit family… We never had videogames, and we were only allowed a half hour of television a day, so we found alternate ways to entertain ourselves.”
Musgrove spent her childhood summers at Jones Beach, and spent the rest of her year hanging around with the 30 or so other children that lived on her street. “There was always something to do, something to play.”
Musgrove graduated from New Hyde Park Memorial High School, and then went on to attend college. She also is an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), her mother had been a nurse, and Musgrove said, “I followed in her footsteps.”
At 20, Musgrove married her husband, Bill. After their marriage the couple moved to Arizona and opened a restaurant, Dante’s Pizza. While in Arizona, Musgrove started practicing nursing. She remained in Arizona until the birth of her only daughter, Jessa. The family then packed their bags and moved to Honesdale, Pa., to be with their extended family, most of whom lived on Long Island.
In Honesdale, Musgrove and her husband opened another pizza place, Pappa’s Primo Pizza. However, in 1998, the restaurant was sold and Musgrove moved on to do something she loves, working with small children. Her husband’s brother, Tom, was working at The Family Foundation School, and told Musgrove that the school needed someone to work in the Children’s Center (Daycare) at the time, so in 1998 Musgrove stepped into the position, and remained there until May of this year when the center closed. At this point, Musgrove made the transition back to nursing again, although she says, “I miss working with the babies.”
Musgrove now works as a nurse in the Health Office at The Family School, and is a member of Talbot House.
