Rosanne Bernstein, Attorney and Businesswoman

Rosanne Bernstein, Attorney and Businesswoman

Rosanne Bernstein (1922-2017) was sworn in to practice law in Allegany County on October 6, 1941. In this regard she was among the first women to practice law in Allegany County. The following excerpt is from an obituary as it appeared on the Scarpelli Funeral Home website:

“Rosanne was the daughter of the late Dr. Louis Fichter and Bessie Sindler Fichter. She was born in New York City in 1922. She attended Western High School in Baltimore. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and her law degree from the University of Maryland in Baltimore. She was admitted to the Maryland Bar in Baltimore in 1946 and volunteered as an attorney with Legal Aid in Baltimore. She married Milton Bernstein (who preceded her in death) and moved to Cumberland in 1947.

Rosanne was most active in local civic affairs. She was president of the Women’s Civic Club of Cumberland. She helped to found Cumberland’s Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and was their first president in 1966. She was a member of the American Association of University Women and its Great Books Group. She was a member of B’er Chayim Temple and a religious school teacher. She was a volunteer with Cumberland Chapter of Hadassah. She was one of the original members of the Advisory Committee of the Memorial Hospital Board of Governors in 1974. She was a member of the Cumberland Lions Club, a tour guide at History House and a volunteer with the Red Cross. Her interests included politics, antiques, playing bridge, reading, travel and spending time at Deep Creek Lake.

She owned and managed Potomac Motors and other automobile dealerships in Cumberland, selling Mercedes, Datsun and other brands. She assisted Milton with the management and operation of The L. Bernstein Furniture Company, Inc., Garden City Homes, Inc., Garden City Mobile Village and his numerous other business enterprises.”

Note the "I declare my belief in the existence of God" statement as part of the swearing-in for the practice of law in Allegany County, Maryland.