Emily Grande

Emily M. Grande

Devoted mother & grandmother, a wonderful human being

Emily Marie Grande, nee Rivera, died peacefully in her home on August 20th.  Emily departed one week before her 90th birthday but spent her last day celebrating this milestone with her family and devoted aide.

Visitation will be Friday, Sept. 1 from 2- 4 pm and 7-9 pm at Higgins and Bonner Funeral Home, 582 Springfield Ave., Westfield, NJ (www.higginsandbonner.com). A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 10 am at St. Helen’s Church in Westfield, followed by burial at St. Gertrude’s Cemetery in Colonia, NJ.

Emily was born in Elizabeth and devoted herself from an early age to the support and care of her family.  Emily worked at NJ Bell Telephone and married the love of her life, Anthony (Tony) Grande in 1957.  They relocated to Westfield in 1975 and shared 58 loving years together until Tony’s death in 2015.

Emily will be remembered for her homemade manicotti, her cheesecake and lemon meringue pie and the care and love she showered on her family. 

Emily leaves behind her three children and their spouses, Joseph (Maria), Nancy (Rolf) and Bill (Trish), five grandchildren (Anthony, Chris, Grace, Eileen, and Corinne), her sisters (Violet, Rose, Jean), brother (Larry) and their spouses (Rosario, Betty, Ed), Tony’s twin brother, Bill and his wife, Janet as well as Emily’s many nieces and nephews. During the past year, Emily was cared for with great skill, love and tenderness by her aide, Valarie Richards of Queens, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Emily’s name to Susan G. Komen (ww5.komen.org) or St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center (www.sthuberts.org).

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