Claire Bernstein, 82, of Leisure World in Laguna Woods, died Saturday, April 13, 2002, following a brief illness.

Ms. Bernstein was born in Minneapolis, Minn., to Isidore and Lena Greenberg.

While attending high school, she studied voice and performed opera.

She married Russell Bernstein in 1940 and moved to Los Angeles.

Her subsequent travels took her to Paris (where she resided in the late 1940s), Budapest, Russia and other destinations.

After an active professional life, Ms. Bernstein retired to Idyllwild in the 1980s. Following a brief residence in Hemet, she moved to Leisure World 10 years ago.

She was actively involved in the writer’s club, the chorale and the Society for Humanistic Judaism.

Burial took place April 16 at Sholom Chapels Memorial Park in Lopez Canyon, Sylmar. A May memorial gathering at Leisure World is being planned with details to be announced in the Town Crier.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Frank Green, and her son, Steven Jesse Bernstein, a noted Seattle poet.

She is survived by her son, Jeff Bernstein, and his wife, Jean Stevens, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; grandsons Doug Bernstein, Daemon Bernstein and Alex Quinn; a niece, Karen Milligan-Green and family; cousins and numerous friends.