Henry Patrick McGrory

Henry Patrick McGrory – May 1, 2013

Hank McGrory was born in Boston on December 27th, 1925, son of William McGrory and Maryann Hannan. He was the oldest of 8 children, Francis (dec.), Helen (dec.), Margaret(dec.) and is survived by sisters, Mary, Agnes & Elizabeth and a brother, Tommy. Hank was a widower of Isabella (Cody), who died suddenly in March, 1971 at the too young age of 53. He is survived by 7 children, 13 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Hank attended Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx and, as many men of his generation, left school to join the Navy at 16 years of age. He was an excellent swimmer and was often called upon to rescue sailors who had fallen overboard on several of the ships he served on. No doubt, he honed his skills in the East River, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan where he spent much of his childhood and young adult life.

Most of Hank’s children moved out of New York City and for a while he lived in Mobile, Alabama with his daughter Margie, her husband Michael and their children at that time Michele, Michael and Jennifer. He enjoyed his time there, although the Alabama heat was a bit too hot for him or perhaps getting shot in a hold-up at a local convenience store sent him back to the safety of NYC.

He returned to New York and later ended up spending a great amount of time with his two loving grandchildren, Marie & Nathaniel (Nate), who grew up on the Upper West Side with dad, Ken McGrory and mom, Barbara Fazio-McGrory. He enjoyed all of Marie’s accomplishments in the art/photography world and rarely missed a basketball game that Nate played in. He took great pride in arriving at the Hudson River for the past 10 years at 5:30 AM every July to watch Ken, Barbara, Marie & Nathaniel jump into the Hudson River to compete in the New York City Triathlon – to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Hank worked his whole life doing manual labor (furniture moving, warehouseman, short order, etc.) and that definitely took it’s physical toll. Later in life, Hank took up needle-point, knitting and other craft work projects. He discovered his artistic side, when he finally stopped lifting boxes and furniture.

However, right up until his final months, Hank lived alone and took daily long walks around his neighborhood of Yorkville, playing his numbers and talking to friends and neighbors.

There will be a Memorial Visitation on Monday, May 6, 2013 from 2PM-5PM & 7PM-9PM, with a service during the 7PM-9PM Visitation Period at the Chas. Peter Nagel Funeral Directors, 325 East 87th Street, NY, NY 10128 located between 1st and 2nd Avenues. On Tuesday, May 7, 2013 there will be a Memorial Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church(East 90th Street, between 3rd & 2nd Avenues) at 11AM.

For further details feel free to contact the Chas. Peter Nagel Funeral Directors (212) 289-2221.