Grace Hechinger

Grace Hechinger, a journalist and author, died peacefully at her New York City home on December 13 after a long illness. A beloved wife, mother and grandmother, she was surrounded by family and devoted caregivers. She was 94.

Born Grace Bernstein in 1931, she grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and was a loyal alumna of Wellesley College. She shared a happy 37-year marriage with Fred Hechinger, a longtime New York Times journalist and her collaborator in the field of education reporting. He died in 1995.

Grace was a columnist for Glamour magazine during the 1980s and the author of How to Raise a Street Smart Child. With Fred, she wrote for many publications, including The New York Times. They co-authored three books: Teenage Tyranny (1966), Growing Up in America (1975) and The New York Times Guide to New York City Private Schools.

Grace is survived by her children, Paul and his wife, Sarah Rozen, John and his wife, Ricki Morell, as well as her grandchildren, Rachel and Fred.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 16 at 1:30 pm at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 W 76th St., New York, New York, 10023. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hechinger Report, a nonprofit education news organization at Columbia University’s Teachers College.