Bernard "Benny" Shortt, 87, passed away peacefully at home on September 25, 2023 with his sons at his bedside.  Benny was born on August 27, 1936 in Clogher, County Tyrone, Ireland and was a resident of Blauvelt, New York since 1973.  He was predeceased by his beloved wife of more than 50 years, Margaret ("Peggy"), last year.

He proudly served in the U.S. Army and went on to spend his career as a mechanic at MaBSTOA servicing New York City transit buses.  After retiring from MaBSTOA, he worked for St. Catherine's Church and the Pearl River School District as a custodian and later as a popular school bus driver for children throughout Rockland.  He cheered his sons on in their academics and sports; even picking up the clipboard and successfully coaching their soccer teams.  He instilled in his sons a great pride in their Irish heritage, in the value of hard work, and the reward of an education.  Exemplifying this he earned his college degree after retiring.  He loved talking politics with anyone who would listen and singing a song, whether an old Irish standard or one made up on the spot to amuse a crying grandchild or a family dog.

He is survived by his two sons Brian (Laura) and Michael (Patricia), five grandchildren, Nadia, Joseph, Mae, Owen and Declan and many loving nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his mother and father, Catherine and Joseph, and by his ten brothers and sisters James, Francis, Lawrence, William, Joseph, Thomas,  Mary, Margaret, Gussie and Eugene. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and a staunch friend and will be dearly missed by all.

A funeral mass will be celebrated Saturday, September 30, 10 am, at St. Catherine's Church in Blauvelt, NY with burial to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover, NJ. Visiting hours will be Friday, September 29 from 4 to 8pm at the Moritz Funeral Home, Tappan, NY.  In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be made to the Blauvelt Free Library, a place that brought him and his family a great deal of joy and learning (checks can be mailed to 541 Western Hwy S, Blauvelt, NY 10913 or made to the library system at rcls.org).