Obituary of Grace A Ferrara

Grace Anne Ferrara, 95, lived a full life and passed peacefully on April 5. Born in Queens, N.Y., Grace and her husband Michael moved to N.J. after their wedding, and never left. She raised three daughters, Virginia, Donna and Lisa, was grandmother to Elizabeth Anne, Joseph Michael, and Brigitte Grace and great-grandmother to Joey, James and Grace. Despite a calm, reserved demeanor, Grace loved life and sharing her life with others. A teacher in the New York City school system, accomplished homemaker and gardener, Grace was a mainstay of the Bergen County Extension Service in the 1970s. She was the rock of the family, supporting her husband in his legal and political career, encouraging her daughters to do whatever they wanted, to not be held back by convention or insecurity. A Depression baby, she was a modern woman, encouraging her family to reach beyond their grasp, to try, even if that meant failure, and most of all, to learn, constantly. Grace was modest about her many talents. She sewed, cooked, baked, painted, and created beautiful crafts. Her chief gift, however, was making people feel welcomed. Shy herself, in groups, she always sought out the person sitting alone, looking lost, wanting someone to talk to. Her gracious manner highlighted her gentle, sincere interest in human beings. Children gravitated towards her, and in her lap, many babies and toddlers were cuddled. At every point in her long life, she was grateful for her many blessings. When her husband, Michael predeceased her in 2019, Grace, again, was the rock of her family. After 70 years of marriage, she might have been expected to falter. Instead, she was strong, helping those around her get through their grief, while keeping her own sorrow inside. In addition to her three daughters, Virginia McNamara, Donna Ferrara and Lisa Palmeri, Grace is survived by her sons-in-law, Raymond Carroll and Joseph Palmeri, her grandchildren Elizabeth and her husband, James Nejmeh, and Joseph Michael Palmeri and his wife, Christine, Brigitte Carroll, 3 greatgrandchildren, Joseph, James and Grace. Her son-in-law, Michael McNamara predeceased her in 2014. Because of the current health crisis, the funeral and burial will be strictly limited. Her family hopes for a virtual memorial service, and, in better times, an actual one. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Grace’s name to the Wyckoff Public Library, 200 Woodland Ave, Wyckoff, NJ 07481 http://wyckofflibrary.org/.