GRACE T. CILLIS OF CHANDLER, THE GLUE THAT HELD OUR FAMILY TOGETHER, HAS PASSED AWAY ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH AT THE AGE OF 95. GRACE WAS BORN ON MARCH 25, 1923 IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, TO ROSE AND GABRIEL IANNARONE. SHE IS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HUSBAND SAMUEL, WHOM SHE WAS MARRIED TOO FOR 70 YEARS, HER TWO BROTHERS GEORGE AND JOHN, AND SISTER CONNIE.
GRACE MARRIED THE LOVE OF HER LIFE SAMUEL ON SEPTEMBER 28, 1947. THEY SETTLED DOWN IN EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY AND HAD THREE CHILDREN. THE FIRST ONE PASSING AWAY AT BIRTH, THEN THEY HAD PAUL, AND JOANN. THEY RELOCATED TO WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, WHERE GRACE AND SAM SPENT THE MAJORITY OF HER LIFE BEFORE MOVING TO CHANDLER, ARIZONA IN 2001.
GRACE WORKED FOR LIONEL COMPANY IN HILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY UNTIL SHE MARRIED AND BECAME A MOTHER AND HOUSEWIFE. GRACE RETURNED TO WORK AFTER 14 YEARS AND WORKED AS A COOK AT DURKINS RESTAURANT IN WEST ORANGE, AND THEN RASCALS COMEDY CLUB/RESTAURANT UNTILL THE AGE OF 67.
ABOVE ALL, GRACE LOVED HER FAMILY. SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THEM, PUTTING THEM BEFORE HERSELF. SHE LOVED COOKING AND BAKING, AND ALWAYS MADE SURE EVERYONE HAD MORE ENOUGH TO EAT. SHE ENJOYED WATCHING WRESTLING WITH HER FAMILY, AND EVERYONE ENJOYED HER YELL AT THE TV. SHE ALSO LOVED TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO IL VOLO, AND WOULD REFER TO THEM AS “HER BOYS”. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HER LIVE WAS TO GO TO ONE OF THEIR CONCERTS AND MEET THEM; SHE TALKED ABOUT THAT FOR MONTHS AFTER.
GRACE IS SURVIVED BY HER SON PAUL, AND DAUGHTER IN LAW RONETE, DAUGHTER JOANN, AND SON IN LAW KEN. ALSO SURVIVING IS HER SISTER IN LAW ANGIE, GRANDCHILDREN CHRISTOPHER AND CARMEN GANNING, KATELYN AND MATT KUSA, BRIAN CORSON, ASHLEY AND MARK CUCCARO, SAMUEL CILLIS AND MELANIE CILLIS. GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN MADISON LILLMAN, SHAWN GANNING, AND TWINS SHANE AND CHRISTOPHER KUSA.
SERVICES WILL TAKE PLACE AT VALLEY OF THE SUN MORTUARY, 10940 EAST CHANDLER HEIGHTS RD, CHANDLER, AZ 85248 WITH VIEWING HOURS ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 7TH FROM 7-9PM, AND THE FUNERAL SERVICE AT THE SAME LOCATION ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 8TH AT 2PM. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, PLEASE SEND DONATIONS TO THE FAMILY FOR FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS AND FOR FUTURE CELEBRATION OF LIFE MASSES FOR GRACE.
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