Grace Marie Smith of Kennett Square
Grace Marie Smith, 80, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, died Monday, Aug. 29, at Christiana Hospital in Newark. She was the wife of Ralph F. Smith, with whom she shared 59 years of marriage. Born and raised in Lawrence, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Angelo Pappalardo and the late Mary Reitano Pappalardo.
Grace graduated from Merrimack College, North Andover, Mass., with a BA in business education.
Grace was a longtime, active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kennett Square, where she participated in various ministries, in particular, teaching CCD classes and volunteering with Family Promise.
Grace taught for one year at Methuen High School in Massachusetts. For the next three years, she followed her husband to Italy, where he was stationed. That journey to Italy and Europe was the beginning of many wonderful travel adventures she and Ralph took through the years. Grace was a student of the Italian language and enjoyed happy hours with her Italian-speaking classmates. Grace was also well known for her wonderful Italian cooking, especially her chicken cutlet and sausages.
Grace used her business acumen while employed at Bank of The Brandywine for several years, and later in her career, Grace was assistant to the director of the Willowdale Steeplechase. During her 10 years at Willowdale, Grace enjoyed interacting with community members while planning the annual event.
Grace’s greatest love, however, was for her two children, Kathleen and Brian. Grace was a loving, involved mother, and she was always there to help with homework and to drive Kathleen and Brian to their many sports and activities.
In 1995, Brian became paralyzed from the neck down because of a car accident. For the next 20 years, Grace devoted herself to Brian’s care until his passing in 2015.
In addition to her husband, Ralph, and daughter, Kathleen Kolanko, Grace is survived by Kathleen’s husband, Frank, and her beloved and cherished grandchildren, Mary Paige, Erin, Frankie, Nolan, Jamie, and Crosby. She is also survived by her brother, Joseph Pappalardo of South Yarmouth, Mass., and many nieces and nephews as well as many close friends.
You are invited to her visitation from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6, at First Baptist Church of Kennett Square, 415 W State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348. Her memorial Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 212 Meredith Street, Kennett Square. Guests are invited to drive or walk over to church for mass. Interment will follow Mass at St. Patrick Cemetery. Contributions in her memory may be made to KACS (Kennett Area Community Service) online at https://www.kacsonline.net/. Please mention the donation is in memory of Grace Smith. Arrangements are by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory Inc. (484-734-8100). To view her online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com
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