Bernard R. Tedesco

Bernard R. Tedesco, 91 of Holden, passed away peacefully in the comforts of his own home on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.
Bernard was born in Newton, Massachusetts, one of nine children of the late Vincenzo and Filomena (DiMambro) Tedesco. He graduated from Newton High School and later attended UMass Amherst. Ben’s career in the lumber industry started in 1937 when he was just 9 years old at Basley’s Lumber where he and his family lived next door and by his teen years, he was the yard foreman, a position he held until leaving for the United States Navy in 1945. He served his country on a post-World War II Goodwill tour throughout the Mediterranean on the USS Princeton and the USS Fargo and was later honorable discharged a disabled veteran in 1947. Ben returned to Basley’s, which later became Edwards Lumber leaving in 1950. Ben gained experience working at several companies in the region, including Guthrie Lumber in Waltham, Diamond Match Company in New London, CT and Heald Lumber in Worcester.
Ben opened Tedesco Builders Supply in West Boylston in 1967, later relocating to Worcester. Over the years, Ben worked extremely hard to grow the business with all three of his children working alongside him. He decided to close the business in 1994 but wasn’t ready for retirement. He continued working for Moore Lumber in Ayer through 2009 and up until his passing he maintained an active schedule at Howe Lumber, East Brookfield, working in outside sales.
Ben’s legacy includes over 40 years of service with Northeast Retail Lumber Association and Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association. He served as a director on the NRLA board for eight years, was a member of the convention committee for over a decade, and in the late 1980s to early 1990s served on NRLA’s Advisory Co-op. Ben was often the staff liaison to special guests speakers and entertainers including Bob Hope, Pearl Bailey, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. But one of his fondest memories was the day spent with the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
Ben was a member and a director of MRLDA for 18 years where he served on the executive committee as treasurer and as board president in 1981. He was also one of the MRLDA “Three Amigos,” along with Joe Cusack and Bob Skelley, sharing decades of laughs, stories, and escapades. In 2014, Ben was the proud recipient the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association Lifetime Achievement Award for recognition of over 75 years of service to the industry and over 45 years of membership. Ben’s generosity as an MRLDA board member, a past president, a treasurer and golf outing chairman up until 1992 said much about his love and respect for the industry.
Ben was also a member of the Sliver Club and had championed them in various Capacities from Club President, Handicap Chairman and a Board of Directors member for many years and in 2018 was the proud recipient of the John Belanger Award for distinguished service to the lumber industry. Ben had led a long and storied career in the lumber industry and industry that he gave his heart and soul to.
Ben was an avid baseball fan, with an encyclopedic knowledge of statistics, players and the history of the game. Over the years he was a semi-pro pitcher, a part-time scout for the pros (including the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Yankees), and managed semi-pro and Babe Ruth teams. As a coach and manager, Ben said, “I always wanted to win, but teaching was more important.” Living in New London, CT during the 1950’s, Ben served as the youth activities chairman for the town and as secretary of the 70-member Bishop Flanagan Athletic Council. He was also recruited to run for office but withdrew his name from consideration when he had an opportunity to move back to Central Massachusetts. Ben also loved golfing and bowling and had an affinity for KENO.
Ben is survived by his beloved wife of 14 years, Elizabeth “Betty” (Kenerson) Tedesco; his son, B. Richard Tedesco and his wife Theresa of Shrewsbury; his daughter, Sharon A. Tedesco of Worcester; his daughter-in-law whom he considered a daughter, Joan G. Tedesco of Rutland; eight grandchildren, Richard Tedesco, Garrett LeBlanc, Cole LeBlanc, Tyler Tedesco, Chase LeBlanc and his wife Annette, Daniel Tedesco, Angela Tedesco and Rebecca Tedesco; two great grandchildren, Adam and Andrew Tedesco; three step-children, Kathleen Parlante and her husband David of Sutton, Steven Melendez of Florida and Jason Lewis of New York; eleven step-grandchildren, two step-great grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Carol Kenerson of Worcester; several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by a son, David L. Tedesco; four brothers, Guy, Joseph, Vincent and John Tedesco; four sisters, Marie Tedesco, Sally Falcucci, Antoinette Goldstein and Ann Donnelly.
Services for Ben will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 from the MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation St., Worcester with a funeral mass at 12:30 pm in Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant St., Worcester. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery Worcester. Relatives and friends are invited to a period of calling hours on Tuesday, November 12th from 4-8 pm in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ben’s name can be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104 or to Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, 20 Burlington Mall Road, Suite 261, Burlington, MA 01803.
To share your thoughts and memories of Ben, please visit his personal guestbook at www.mercadantefunetal.com