Charlotte Miriam DeGrado

Charlotte “Gaga” Miriam DeGrado of Branford, Connecticut passed away on Sunday, June 9th, 2024 at the age of 96. She was born on June 15th, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois where she grew up with two loving parents, Waclaw and Wladzia, and a sister, Irene, surrounded by a large Polish community of friends and family. As a little girl, she helped her mother working in the family-owned grocery store where they supported other community members during the Great Depression and World War II.

She attended Wright Junior College where she met her husband, Joseph DeGrado, and they remained in the Irving Park neighborhood after getting married, where they raised their three children, Pamela, Joseph Jr., and Diana.

Charlotte was a devoted mother, volunteering endless hours and rising up through the PTA ranks within the state of Illinois. As the children got older, Charlotte and Joe began spending time boating on the chain of lakes in Illinois and eventually settled there. Charlotte considered that home their party house and regularly hosted gatherings of their family, friends, and Joe’s customers at the lake house in Antioch, Illinois. Charlotte loved to fish on the pier in Antioch and would catch the same fish over and over for weeks on end. She also loved to do crafts, knit, and she even worked briefly in a gift shop.

After Joe’s death in 1992, she moved to LaGrange, Illinois to be closer to her daughter, Diana, and her son-in-law, Dan. She helped to raise Diana’s two daughters, Sadie and Mackenzie. She moved with the family to Denver, then back to Chicago, and finally to Connecticut where she had lived for the past 24 years, mostly in Guilford. She was well-known for her Oldsmobile, community activism, being a member of the Guilford Senior Center, and having a personality that infected everyone she met with love and light. Charlotte never met a stranger who wasn’t a friend. There was no one with a sense of humor like Charlotte’s – she made everyone smile and laugh. This is what we will all miss the most.

The biggest joys in Charlotte’s life were spending time with family, baking cookies together, and exchanging crazy Christmas gifts that would make everyone laugh. She also loved her time spent with her friends in the Guilford Senior Center knitting club and exercise classes. Charlotte was an avid reader and, even though her vision declined later in life, she continued to listen to audio books – sometimes several in a week. She lived an incredibly full life - her body, mind, and sense of humor were all sharp until the very end.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph DeGrado, and sister, Irene Pozulp.

She is survived by her children, Diana Colcord (Daniel Colcord), Joseph DeGrado Jr., and Pamela Wernick; her loving grandchildren, Sadie Colcord (Gowtham Yenduri), Mackenzie Colcord (Matthew Eckman), Jessica DeGrado (Jeff Simon), Todd Wernick, and Adam Wernick; her great grandchildren, Ivy Simon, Alexis Wernick, Madison Wernick, Jenna Wernick, and Samuel Sacco; and her great-great grandchild, Christian Wernick.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life service at Swan Funeral Home in Madison, Connecticut on Friday, June 14th, 2024 from 4-7 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her honor to the Guilford High School Music Boosters Program.